The Return of the Riders
by ShurtugalSkulblaka
Summary: Amber, an elf tries to find her way across Alagaesia, along the way she meets new friends who will help her through her journey, and she discovers things about herself, her family, and her dark past she never knew. Based on the Inheritance books.
1. Prolouge

The Return of the Riders

To my readers: If you have not read all the Inheritance books (_Eragon_, _Eldest_, and _Brisingr_; the movie doesn't count) I encourage you to read my prologue or else you will not understand half the things in my book and plus I wrote the prologue to inform you on the time before the _Eragon_ book (I made this prologue from things they tell you in the books about before _Eragon_ so that part may or may not be accurate) And one more thing, if you find a word in the ancient language look in the back of the book for the definitions. I hope you enjoy my book. Be careful, spoilers are at hand proceed with caution!  
T.N. A 

Prologue: The History of the Riders 

In a once beautiful land named Alagaësia there lived two races elves-who were magic users from across the sea and dragons. There was a war between these races. Until one elf, an elf named Eragon found an abandoned dragon egg, he raised the dragon and named him Bid'Daum. When his dragon was big enough Eragon showed the elves and dragons that they could work in peace together. The war stopped as the races both realized they could be friends. They made a pact to never fight each other again and thus formed the Dragon Riders. The dragons would give them some of their eggs so they could hatch for their Riders. The Riders would ride the dragons that chose them and make sure there was peace. Then the elves later found out if a dragon dies the Rider would live on, but if the Rider died so did the dragon.  
The humans were already in this land and quickly befriended the two races. As a sign of their friendship the Elves and Dragons put the humans in their Dragon and Rider pact. Then the human Riders learned they could use magic due to their connection with the Elves. So the Elves taught them their language they called the ancient language. The ancient language consisted of spells and the rest of their language-but they still spoke the same language as the humans. Soon the elves found that the Urgals had followed them to the land, but they caused no trouble, they were left alone.  
Then other races found their way into this land but weren't included in the pact. These races were dwarves and Ra'zac. Then the elves and dragons decided that the Ra'zac were evil and unruly so they banished them to parts unknown. The Urgals lived west close to the sea; the dwarves found a mountain range to the south and named them the Beor Mountains. The elves went northeastern to a forest and magically sang to it, and it became great. They named it Du Weldenvarden in the ancient language meant The Guarding Forest. Lastly, the humans made many cities throughout the land.  
For thousands of years the races prospered.  
Then a young Rider named Galbatorix who was mad at the leader of the Riders, Vrail and an elf Rider Oromis, for his dragon was killed by mistake by a stray arrow from an Urgal battle. They told him they would not replace it and took an opportunity. He and his apprentice, Morzan, fled to the city now known as Urû'baen. Galbatorix had stolen a black, dragon hatchling, Shruikan, the dragon was raised with Galbatorix, and once he was of age Galbatorix took a chance. He slaughtered one of the elder Dragon Riders and then moved on to killing most Riders. His only complication was Vrail, the leader. He fought Vrail, but Vrail was strong. Still Galbatorix overpowered Vrail and morally wounded him, Vrail fled Galbatorix, but Galbatorix caught him and slew the leader.  
Without their leader the Riders fell into chaos and began to fight each other for power. Sensing this weakness Galbatorix betray them and in the single battle known as The Fall of the Riders he believed he killed all the Riders and their dragons. All except the thirteen called the Forsworn- who served Galbatorix for power.  
He then forcefully took the throne in the city called Urû'baen north of where the Fall happened, the Burning Plains. One day he found a boy named Durza that was possessed with spirits-what the elves would call a Shade. He made an army and then called the army the Empire. Then he was never seen because he had the Empire to do his work.  
After awhile the dwarves got sick of his evil rule, and with a few hundred humans, in one of their cities, Farthen Dûr formed the Varden and rebelled against Galbatorix. Galbatorix was furious and sent the Empire to destroy them. The Empire seriously injured Ajihad, their leader, so they fled back in the mountain to never come out.  
Galbatorix was happy, in a sort of evil way, his rebellion was gone and he had the last few dragon eggs.  
Then one day, years from his evil happiness, a former Rider named Brom-who's dragon, Saphira, was killed in the Fall- and his friend, Jeod, found a tunnel into Urû'baen's treasury. By the time Galbatorix knew of this it was too late, and they had stolen a sapphire egg. Again, Galbatorix was furious and sent the Shade, Durza, to go capture them but he never did.  
For many years the egg was exposed to everyone in the Varden, then they would exchange it with the Elves to expose it to all the people in Ellesméra- the Elven capitol. One day-completely by accident- the princess, Arya, got the egg and was running it to the Varden. Just as she was coming back after her unsuccessful trip the Shade, Durza hunted her down. Just as he was about to get the egg she franticly tried to teleport it to Brom-who was in a human city, Carvahall-, and it worked. She fainted from the magic and the Shade captured her.  
Instead of Brom finding the egg, a boy named Eragon -who lived three miles away from Carvahall with his uncle, Garrow and his cousin, Roran -found it while he was hunting in a magical forest, the Spine. At first he thought it was a valuable stone, then after about month a sapphire dragon hatched from the egg. She quickly grew with magic and told him her name was Saphira. Eragon was in town one day and saw two hooded strangers- the Ra'zac, who now were on the king's side. They were ordered to capture Eragon so the king could use him and Saphira for his own good. They ran to Eragon's home to capture him. Little did they know he wasn't there. Eragon franticly runs after them to save his uncle, for he knew they would probably kill him if they didn't find Eragon. When he is running Saphira swoops down and grabs him taking him out of danger, while also taking him on a wild ride. He pleads to her numerous times to take him down, but she knows that he will be in danger and refused his cries. They camp away in the Spine forest, a forest that all people of Carvahall fear, but Eragon hunts in. The next day Saphira flies Eragon to his house. When she landed he ran as fast as he could into his house. Only to find that the Ra'zac had almost killed his uncle, but in a few days Garrow dies.  
Brom- who was now the town's storyteller, though most of the times they are about the Riders- later meets up with him, and tells Eragon he is the first Rider in thousands of years. He then persuades Eragon to follow him to the Varden so that they-the Varden and themselves-could defeat Durza then the king. They leave Eragon's farm, and head toward the Varden. Along the way Brom teaches Eragon the ancient language and teaches him how to use it properly. He also tells Eragon he is named after the first Rider.

Meanwhile the Shade, Durza, is torturing the elf princess, Arya. Then he finally got sick of sending his Urgals, creatures that had rough skin and horns that stood at least five feet taller than humans, -who he forced to obey him by his evil magic-to try to capture Eragon. So he used his evil magic on the princess to lure Eragon to him. When Eragon gets the vision, he wants to save her, for Durza said-through her- that he intended her death. Brom refuses to let him go, telling him that she would happily die for the first Rider in thousands of years. Even after Brom tells him this, he still goes to save her. He finds her, then Durza appears, and they get into a battle. Eragon does fine until he uses magic and it weakens him. Durza takes this disadvantage and hurls a spear at Eragon. Right before the spear hits Eragon, Brom jumps in front of him letting it hit him instead. Then Eragon shoots Durza in the head killing him, and they escape with the help of a boy named Murtagh -who was a little older than Eragon. Later, back at their camp Brom gives Eragon his Rider's sword Zar'roc and tells him how he received it. He tells Eragon with his dying breath that he was a Rider. Then Brom dies from the wound from the spear hitting him. When Eragon makes a tomb of stone for Brom, but Saphira won't leave it and uses a different magic and turns the stone to diamond. After Brom dies, Arya gets poisoned by the Shade and Murtagh returns leading him and Saphira to the Varden.  
When they arrive at the Varden they meet Ajihad who is still Leader of the Varden and Hrothgar the dwarf king. Then Ajihad tells Eragon that Murtagh is the son of Morzan the traitor, also one of Galbotorix's thirteen Forsworn, and the one that Brom killed with his own sword, Zar'roc. They take Murtagh and lock him up in a cell telling Eragon they cannot take any risks, for they are about to go to war against Durza and the king's men. Eragon tells Ajihad that he killed Durza by shooting him in the head. Ajihad shakes his head and tells Eragon that he did not kill Durza because the only way to kill a Shade is to pierce him through the heart. Eragon is devastated even more as Ajihad tells him he is the one who has to go to battle against Durza in two-on-two combat with Saphira.  
Days pass, and then finally the war begins Eragon and Saphira fly above Farthen Dur to fight Durza and his evil, haze-covered, flying creature called a sundablaka. After a very long battle Eragon succeeds in killing Durza. Then the war ends as the Urgals are driven back after being possessed by Durza.  
Three days after the war against Durza, for some odd reason Urgals come rampaging right before Eragon leaves for the Elven capitol Ellesméra. They captured- and most likely killed -Murtagh and then killed Ajihad. Eragon is sad but does what Ajihad told him to and travels with Saphira to Ellesméra accompanied by Arya the elf princess.  
They arrive in Ellesméra and meet Arya's mother, Queen Islanzadí. Then she tells Eragon that he came here to train as a Dragon Rider and to learn about the elven ways. She then shows him a secret place where they meet the actual last dragon and Rider, Oromis and his golden dragon Glaedr. They have managed to keep their existence unknown to Galbatorix since the Fall of the Riders. Glaedr teaches Saphira -since they are both dragons- all the tricks he knows and Oromis teaches Eragon more words in the ancient language and gives him more sword training.  
A few months later a messenger comes from the Varden to tell Eragon that Nasuada, Ajihad's daughter, has taken her father's place as the Leader of the Varden, and a war is about to break out with the Empire. Eragon and Saphira are excused from their training as soon as Oromis saw the letter. Saphira flew as fast as she could to the Burning Plains where the war would take place-also where the Fall took place.  
They arrived only minutes before the war was to begin; important minutes that Nasuada took to tell Eragon what he was to do. Then their plans changed as a blood-red dragon flew into the battle, and again Eragon was sent into two-on-two combat with Saphira. Then the war starts as Eragon and Saphira fly to a pavilion where they fight the dragon and Rider.  
After long fighting- fighting that proved both Eragon and the mysterious Rider were almost equal fighters. Eragon succeeds in ripping off the Rider's helmet. Only to reveal the Rider is Murtagh. Eragon is shocked that his friend is fighting him, but Murtagh says that Galbatorix forced him to swear oaths in the ancient language, which can never be broken. He tells him that Thorn- his dragon- hatched for him not long ago and as a warning they fly off taking Zar'roc which Murtagh says is rightfully his and that Eragon is his brother, that they are both sons of Morzan. The Varden win this war too when Murtagh leaves with Thorn. Eragon can't believe that his closest friend would turn on him, and then turn around telling him they are brothers to make matters worse. Eragon was surprised when he found Roran had evacuated most of Carvahall, and had tried to take them to Surda. They ended up fighting in the war and that Roran's love, Katrina, had been kidnapped by the Ra'zac. Eragon tells him he will try and save Katrina as soon as he can.  
Three months later Eragon accompanies Roran to Helgrind to fight for Katrina back. They succeed in killing the Ra'zac, and Roran and Katrina are happy once more. At least six months later the Varden are about to go to war, again. Eragon leaves for Ellesméra to complete his training. Meanwhile, there is some good, Roran and Katrina are getting married. The wedding goes well and Roran and Katrina are their happiest yet.  
Eragon arrives to find that Islanzadí and some of her spellcasters are going to capture Gil'ead. When he meets his teachers he finds that they too are going to help the elves capture Gil'ead, and that hey have hidden from Galbatorix for far too long. They tell Eragon that if they are to die in combat he should know that he and Murtagh are only half brothers. That they share the same mother, but instead of Morzan being his father Brom is his father. They say that there is no time for talk. They then tell Eragon to go get Rhunön, the Riders swords' make, to make him a Rider's sword.  
He goes to her and she has to make a decision. After Morzan used Zar'roc, a sword she had made, for evil she vowed never to make another sword as powerful as the Riders'. She decides to make him a sword if he finds a magical metal used to make the blades, which he does, then Rhunön makes him the sword. He then names the sapphire sword Brisingr after the ancient language word for fire, and at the sound of its name it bursts into flames, making Eragon discover its special power.  
He then bids his teachers farewell and they fly together until they reach the end of Du Weldenvarden and then go their separate ways. Eragon flies into the city that the Varden are going up against, Feinster. Eragon and Saphira team up with Arya and go to the palace to help the Queen Lorana of Feinster. They encounter a person who is crazy enough to turn himself into a Shade and this time it is Arya who goes into single combat while Eragon is immobilized by visions of Oromis and Glaedr fighting Murtagh and Thorn.  
The last vision of his teachers is one of Galbatorix taking control of Murtagh's body, somehow, Galbatorix still being in Urû'baen, and made Murtagh slash Oromis across from shoulder to hip with Zar'roc. This morally wounds Oromis and Glaedr pushes off of Thorn diving toward the ground with all his speed. Knowing that when he lands Islanzadí's spellcasters will heal Oromis. But time is the victor in this battle and Oromis dies on the way down- implying the rule if a Rider dies so dos his dragon-and this sends Glaedr hurdling to the ground and crashing into it with full force of speed screaming "ALONE!"  
Seeing no more Eragon sees what is happening around him, Arya killing the Shade and Saphira screaming to him and Arya "GONE, GONE, they are gone FOREVER!" Then he tells Arya what she means and they safely escort Lady Lorana outside where the Varden have won yet another battle. Eragon tells all the Varden what had happened and then sadly returns to Ellesméra to spread the bad news.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter I  
The Chase

I have heard countless stories about Eragon the great Rider and his sapphire dragon Saphira, but I never knew my life would be pulled into Eragon's world of dragons and Dragon Riders.  
I am Amber a seventeen year old elf. I live in Ellesméra- the Elven capitol- with my sister Arya- the princess- and all the other elves. Since I am an elf my hearing, strength, speed, and magical skills are incredible so I put them to good use.  
One night I was out walking in Du Weldenvarden -the Guarding Forest- when I heard a hissing noise. I walked over to where it came from and what I saw was heart-stopping two Ra'zacs! They are King Galbatorix's servants since Eragon slew the Shade Durza. "Where isss ssshe?" one hissed. "How am I sssupposssed to know!" hissed the other.  
They looked over to where I was hiding, and obviously saw me because they started to chase me. " Yesss we will finally bring you to Galbatoricss!" they both hissed. I knew they mistook me for someone else, but I ran anyway. I ran faster than a galloping horse through the forest and jumped over logs that blocked my path.  
Somehow the Ra'zac were right behind me, "_Thrysta vindr_!" I screamed and a condensed ball of air hit the Ra'zacs flinging them far behind me. I ran even faster now trying to get a far advantage. As soon as I could I contacted Arya with my mind, _Arya, I am being chased by two Ra'zacs!_  
_I thought I told you to stay out of trouble while I was gone!_ she seemed to yell in an out-of-breath tone.  
_What's happening, Arya, you sound like you are out of breath?  
Well I went back to Urû'baen and...  
You went back to Urû'baen are you crazy!_ I yelled cutting her off.  
_We're lucky I did because Galbatorix had a couple of dragon eggs left, but I could only get one before this…_ I felt her stumble and fall.  
_Before what?_ I asked.  
_I can't talk…_ she said and withdrew from my mind. I still heard her though, and what I heard was her saying the words in the ancient language to transport the egg. She fainted from the powerful magic. Just then a blinding flash of light illuminated the whole forest. I tried to back away but tripped and fell over, _backwards_. The light disappeared and in the place of the center of the light was a royal-blue stone. I went over to it and cautiously picked it up, feeling how heavy it was. I heard the Ra'zacs coming, and having no clue what to do with the stone, quickly put it into my cloth pouch and ran.  
I ran until somehow four Ra'zacs were surrounding me. _Oh just wonderful! _I thought to myself_. _" We've got you now!" they all hissed, and were moving closer to me.

"Oh no you don't!" someone yelled.

All of a sudden I was caught up in a sapphire wave. Before I could see what grabbed me, the earth dropped one hundred feet below me. As soon as the shock wore off I looked up to see what had grabbed me. I was shocked to see it was Eragon astride the mighty sapphire dragon Saphira -who had grabbed me with her front claws. "E...E...Eragon!" I stammered though I was shocked and quite impressed. Saphira let go with one claw, and with the other she held me up so Eragon could pull me in the saddle.

"But how?" I asked still shocked.

"Saphira sensed you were in trouble so…" Eragon started.

Saphira touched my mind. _Eragon would not listen to me when I told him you were in trouble, so I just took to the skies; surprising him so much_, she said in her telepathy way finishing Eragon's sentence.

"Wow thank you, thank you both," I said,"so where are we going?"

"Back to Ellesméra, of coarse!" said Eragon.

"Oh, well that makes sense,"I said felling a little bit dumb.  
When we got back I ran to see my mother, Queen Islanzadí.

"I am so sorry I am so late," I said, "it's just that I had a bit of trouble in the forest."

"It is okay, Amber," said Islanzadí,"everything is fine."

"No, everything is not fine!" I yelled,"Arya is in a lot of trouble! She was in another part of the forest… and someone was chasing her… and she sent the egg to its Rider…and…and!" I was almost out of breath I was talking so fast.

After I had calmed down I told Islanzadí about that morning.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter II  
I'm Chosen

That night I heard a weird noise so I looked over to the place where I had set the royal-blue stone. The stone was wobbling and cracking! A minute later the stone burst and a royal blue, baby dragon sprawled on the floor. _That must have been the egg Arya transported, and I'm the Rider!_ I thought. The baby dragon whimpered and looked at me with its big, royal-blue eyes. Just as I touched the top of its head a blinding flash of light came between the contact and I blacked out.  
When I woke the next morning the baby dragon lying on my stomach. I knew what had just happened because Eragon had told me almost everything about being a Rider, and when I looked at my hand I saw exactly what I thought I would: The gedwëy ignasia, the shinning palm. It was shimmering on my hand like a bright star, curled into the shape of a curled up, wingless dragon. It is the result of touching the newborn baby dragon that chose you as its Rider. "Amber," came a faint call.

"_Oh great!_" I whispered," _come on I have to hide you, for now!_" Then I grabbed up the dragon and ran out the back door. I hurried through the dark streets of Ellesméra to the forest, painted black without the morning sun.

I finally found a clearing to leave the dragon in until I came back. "Stay here until I get back," I said. It whimpered in reply. Then I headed back to Ellesméra.  
When I got back to the city the sun was just peering through the lowest trees.

"Where were you?"

"Ahhh!"I screamed,"oh, that's nice, Eragon, give me a heart attack!"

"Sorry," said Eragon, who was standing next to Saphira,"but what were you doing?"

"Um I was just walking around looking for you," I said making a great save, though I don't know why I wouldn't tell Eragon about the dragon.

So having nothing else to say he walked off Saphira walking beside him. "Wow that was too close," I whispered to myself and walked off.

I then meandered around the city until it was dark, then, went up to the house I lived in with Islanzadí.  
The next day I went back to the clearing where I had left the baby dragon. I couldn't see the dragon anywhere, it was gone. "She'll be back, Eragon said that dragons never leave their Riders."

Simultaneously my gedwey ignasia started to burn as it shone like a bright silver star.  
In a few minutes a twelve-foot royal blue dragon crash-landed in front of me. "Whoa, you grew, a lot," I said still surprised. The dragon was eight-foot up to her back and her wings were at least fifteen-foot when they were straight up. At her head she would be about thirteen to fourteen-foot high total at the top of her head. I knew she would be taller, but still I was about as tall as up to her shoulder.  
_I am Ellestygia, your dragon_, she said, talking in a sort of telepathy, the way all dragon and Riders do.  
"I am Amber," I replied.  
_I knew that, of coarse, because you are my Rider_, she said laughing in between words.  
"Well then I guess you should see the city you're going to live in, and the people that live in it," I said," and plus my friend that is a Rider, too."

Then, we walked toward Ellesméra.  
We walked through the clearing and out of the forest, into the city. I finally spotted Eragon and Saphira by one of the houses.

"Eragon!" I called.

He and Saphira turned, their faces flooding with shock as they saw Ellestygia.

"What...whoa, Amber, is that a dra…dra…" stammered Eragon.

"Dragon, yeah, what did you think she was a bird, genius," I said sarcastically, "This is Ellestygia, my dragon, I've had her since yesterday, yeah, the stone I had it was an egg."  
_Eragon made that mistake with me too_, said Saphira.

I laughed.

"Do you think you and Saphira could teach us just like Oromis and Glaedr did with you?"

Their faces dropped at the sound of their deceased teachers' names.

"Sorry."  
_Sure, little one,_ said Saphira.  
"Why not?" said Eragon.  
"Really, you're sure, you mean it!"  
"_It's nothing, really_!" they both said.  
"Thank you so much!"  
The rest of the day we walked around the city and I showed everyone Ellestygia.

When I showed Islanzadí her she said, "Amber, why didn't tell me about her once you knew?"  
"Well… I …um I don't know."  
"It's okay, no one's mad at you, especially me," she said," now carry on, I want you to show her to the citizens so none of them end up attacking her."

I took her around the rest of the occupied city. Women's eyes widened with awe as we came by them, and received complements like "most beautiful" and "young beauty". A few more hours passed before it got dark. "Hey Ellestygia we should go back to my house now."  
_But will I..._, she stuttered.  
"Don't worry you and Saphira, both, could fit."  
We went back into my house and I lied down on the floor. Ellestygia walked over and curled up around me. "Remember get good rest we start training tomorrow," I said," Good night Ellestygia."  
_Good night, young one._


	4. Chapters 3 and 4

Chapter III  
My Training Begins 

That morning I got up and got changed then belted on my elven sword. Ellestygia was still asleep on the floor.

"Come on! Get up lazy!" I yelled, "I told you to get up ten minutes ago!"  
_Wha...huh...go away_, she said in a sleepy tone.  
"Oh _GET UP _or _you're_ going to be late not _me_!" I yelled louder.  
_Fine I'm up_, she said rising to her feet.  
"Thank you! Wait hang on a second I need to get something," I said.  
I went over to where I had set the saddle that one of the elves gave us and picked it up. I slung it onto her back, "I know you're not strong enough to ride, yet," I said buckling the first strap, "but it can't hurt to have it on."

I buckled the last strap and bolted out the door.  
Ellestygia followed me, but not very closely, as we hurried through the streets into the forest, well I hurried.

"Ellestygia, faster!"  
_I'm trying!_  
"Well try harder, I don't want to be late, but I don't know about you!"

"Come on you can do better than that, I would know because I am going a lot faster!"  
We finally got to the clearing where Eragon and Saphira were waiting.  
"Sorry we're late, _someone_ refused to get up," I said nodding to Ellestygia.  
_It's all right we really didn't care when you got here, as long as it was in the morning and you came at all_, said Saphira.  
_Well, did you hear that, they didn't really care!_ said Ellestygia sarcastically.

_Eragon and Saphira laughed at that.  
"What?" I asked.  
"It's just that this is typical new dragon and Dragon Rider behavior," they both said.  
Well then, come, hatchling, over here, said Saphira to Ellestygia. Eragon gestured to me to come to the middle, facing him.  
__"This is where your skills will be tested," he said drawing his sapphire-bladed sword, Brisingr.  
"You mean to tell me that you want me to fight you?"  
"Yes."  
"Well I will tell you one thing," I said drawing my elven sword.  
"What's that?" he asked.  
"I'm not going to go easy on you."  
"Well neither am I!" he said lunging at me, and that officially started our training.  
When Eragon and I were fighting I noticed we were almost even fighters. I dealt many blows that he blocked and he dealt any that I blocked. Ten minutes into our training and the silent clacking of steel on steel there was a crash of snapping metal that directed my attention to my completely demolished sword.  
"Oh wonderful!" I yelled sarcastically, "just great, I can't fight without a sword!"  
"Amber," said Eragon," don't worry, Felvëra the daughter of __Rhunön,__the elf that made the Rider's swords, has something to give you and I think it might help." _

Chapter IV  
Felvëra's Gift 

When we got to Felvëra's house she was sitting with a sword over her lap.  
"Felvëra, I have brought the new Rider," said Eragon.  
"Ah, what is your name young Rider?" she asked, looking at me.  
"My name is Amber," I replied.  
"Oh, Islanzadí's daughter!" she said surprised she didn't know me, "Eragon it's ready."  
Felvëra got up and walked upstairs into a room. When she returned she was holding a sapphire-pommel, sheathed sword.  
"Whoa, a real Rider's sword!" I said very excited.  
"Your dragon came to me last night and told me you didn't have a proper sword, so I made you one."  
_Oh, so that's why she was tired this morning!_ I thought.  
She handed me the sword, "Here you deserve it, Eragon has told me how much you know, so use it wisely."  
"Oh thank you so much, and trust me I'll use it with extreme care, I promise," I said, "I really will."  
"I know you will," she said laughing, "now go ahead, take it out."  
"Okay," I replied taking the sword out of its scabbard. When I pulled it out it was a frozen, ice-blue blade with an even lighter hilt, that resembled the style Zar'roc's and Brisingr's. I put the sword back in its scabbard, feeling very grateful.  
"Felvëra it's wonderful!" I said enthusiastically, "thank you."  
"It's nothing really, I enjoy doing this, it's my life."  
The rest of the day Felvëra taught me how to use the sword properly. It was way different from the light elven sword I had used. One question suddenly dawned on me, "Felvëra, does it have a name?"  
"Well, not yet, anyway, a Rider's sword is named by the winning of an important battle or you discover something that only that sword does."

"_Like Zar'roc," said Eragon coldly.  
"Now, Eragon, that's a different story," she said," Zar'roc got its name because…"  
"Because Morzan caused so much misery," Eragon said angrily.  
"Now, Eragon, I believe you had carried it around proudly, until you knew who held it, but it still meant much to you because of Brom. That shouldn't have stopped you then."  
"Well it does now," Eragon said strongly, "my crazy, erratic half-brother is going around siding with the person trying to kill me!"  
"Now Eragon enough talk about that," said Felvëra, " you two come back to my house and talk for a while."  
"We'll come," I said before Eragon could slip out another negative remark. So we went back to Felvëra's house and talked about swords, so Felvëra ended up telling me about the history of the Rider's swords. So hours later we had to leave due to the training tomorrow._


	5. Chapters 5 and 6

Chapter V  
Dragon and Rider 

I woke to the sound of roaring, _Amber, get up!_ roared Ellestygia.  
"What I'm up!"  
_Come on get up!_  
"I am not as lazy as you are!"  
_Well then get dressed, quick!_  
"I'm trying!" I yelled belting on Felvëra's gift. We left just after I put on her useless saddle.  
We met Eragon and Saphira in the designated clearing, just like the day before.  
"Greetings, Shur'tugal, Skulblaka," I said in the ancient language.  
"I see you're working on the ancient language, Shur'tugal," replied Eragon.

"It's not like I didn't use it before, but you're right I have been working on improving it," I said, "well, what's our lesson today?"  
"Today you learn to be a Rider," he replied.  
"But she's not... I can't…"  
_I am strong enough to be ridden, thank you very much_, roared Ellestygia.  
A few minutes after Eragon told me the dos and don'ts of ridding Ellestygia, she crouched down so I could get on. I swung up on her saddle and tightly gripped the saddle out of excitement and fear. She started to walk toward a nearby cliff that hung over a forest and in it a stream. As she was walking Eragon was shouting last instructions, " Amber!" he called with excitement," don't forget use _Skulblakas ven_ to get Ellestygia's sight!"  
_And more importantly hang on, little one_, called Saphira.  
Ellestygia walked over to a cliff and bounded up into the sky, and before I could say anything she went into a steep dive flying very fast toward the ground. I noticed Eragon laughing right as Ellestygia had launched from the cliff, probably from nostalgia. Ellestygia pulled up before she flew into the river.  
It was amazing; I could see the gorge's river and forest about fifty feet below, and the cliff and beautiful, blue sky above.  
"Come on, Ellestygia, you can do better than this!" I yelled over the wind.  
_Oh, you want more, well why didn't you say so sooner! _  
"What does that mean?"  
She gave a huge flap of her wings and went from her regular speed to about ninety miles an hour in about two seconds. I was barely holding on to the saddle until my grip finally slipped and I was pushed back by the high-powered wind rushing at me. I grabbed Ellestygia's tail as I flew off her back.  
"Whoa you're crazy, STOP it, Ellestygia!"  
_You're the one who asked for it!_  
She slowed down and I pulled myself up onto her back and carefully got back in the saddle.  
_You hung on well_, _young one!_ Ellestygia said.  
"Ha, ha!" I said madly at her.  
_You know Saphira told me you can fight from anywhere on my body even my tail, but don't you try and do it!_  
"I know what happened to Eragon with that, I'm not ready yet, but let's try this,_ Skulblakas ven_!"  
After I said the last word my normal sight exploded in to colors of mostly yellow, some blue, and a little red.  
"This is amazing, this is how you see!"  
_Yes, I love my sight, I see like this all the time, it is truly wonderful, and it gets better, look! _  
Her vision zoomed in on the forest. I could see a lot more detail than regular.

"Wow this is even better!" I said.  
We were almost back to Eragon, before I saw two red-orange figures moving toward Eragon.  
"What are those!" I asked getting scared.  
_Ra'zac!_ said Ellestygia scared too.  
"Eragon! Ellestygia, go!" I yelled, but she had already pulled into a dive.  
She roared, as she was half way down. When Ellestygia was at least ten feet from the ground I made a jump that would have killed a human.  
"Eragon watch out!" I yelled drawing my sword and slashing at a Ra'zac.  
"I saw them in the air!" I said slashing at another Ra'zac.  
"We must fight them, they've seen Ellestygia, they will inform Galbatorix!"

"_You're right we don't want that sort of trouble again!" he said drawing Brisingr.  
"Adurna!" I commanded randomly as Eragon ran toward another Ra'zac. __The water froze midway down my blade as a Ra'zac was running toward me.  
"Garjzla!" I yelled stunned at what my blade had done.  
The Ra'zac fell to the ground shrieking from the fact that it's sensitive to light. It got up, and because I was behind it I took my sword and stabbed it in the back, pinning it once more to the ground. When I pulled my blade back the Ra'zac dissolved into what looked like a thousand bugs, that dissolved into nothing. Eragon soon succeeded in killing the other Ra'zac and walked over to me a single gash on his arm, "It's getting late let's go back," he said sounding downcast.  
With that we walked back to Ellesméra._

Chapter VI  
What's at the Hadarac Desert? 

The next day I got up, and Ellestygia and I met Eragon in the same clearing.  
"What will it be today?" I asked when we had arrived.  
"Saphira sensed terrible trouble at Leona Lake," said Eragon, "so I want you and Ellestygia to investigate for us because we have important and secret business to attend to."  
"Okay, we'll go because you say so, and you are our teachers so we'll obey," I said.  
_Amber, what are you thinking! _roared Ellestygia, _it could be extremely dangerous! _  
"Oh don't say that, Eragon and Saphira would never put us in harm's way!"  
_We would never, little ones_, said Saphira calmly.  
"Your dragon's right you know, you would be very close to Helgrind and everything," said Eragon.  
"Alright let's go, Ellestygia!" I said excited.

_Now wait just a second!_  
"What is it Ellestygia?"  
_Before we go take this thing off of me!_ she said indicating to her saddle, _I mean you are strong enough to hold on and I fly a whole lot faster if I didn't have the extra ten pounds or more, so you can take it off, if you want. _  
"Oh, okay, I am strong enough to hold on now that you mention it, alright just hang on," I said gripping her saddle and pulling it off, "there now can we go already?"  
_Oh please, Amber, you're being very impatient right now,_ said Ellestygia.

"Well Amber is right, you need to get going if you want to get to whatever is causing trouble," said Eragon.  
"Okay, let's go Ellestygia."  
I told Ellestygia that I would sit where the saddle had once been and hold on to her neck spike in front of me. Once we had that decided we said our last good-byes.  
"Amber, be careful," said Eragon.  
"You know you already said that."  
"I know, but I can't say it enough times to express how dangerous it could turn in a second."  
"I get it, Eragon, it's very dangerous for just me and Ellestygia alone, right?"

"Uh... well… yeah."  
"So you don't think we're strong enough to handle a little trip!"  
_Now, little one, be calm he didn't mean it like that, but it is dangerous even for us because we don't even know what it is,_ said Saphira her soft voice calming me down a bit.  
"Well I just...but I...I'm sorry, Eragon."  
"It's fine I should start having more trust in your strength, now that you're a Rider."  
_Can we please go now!_ asked Ellestygia.  
"Oh! Of course!" I said. I walked over to her as she crouched down to let me on.  
"Amber, what ever you do don't stop at any towns or cities on your way. Galbatorix's soldiers might be there and their orders are to destroy the rebellion so you'd be in big trouble."  
_Yes, do be careful, little one, we don't want you to end up like that traitor and his too-quick-to-hatch dragon. _  
"Oh, you mean…"  
"Don't say it!" snapped Eragon.  
_And don't worry Eragon and I will be there soon after you so you won't be alone for long. _  
"Yes, Saphira is right, we have one little thing to deal with and then we will come straight there, we promise."  
_Yes, we do promise, little one._  
"Alright then, Ellestygia, let's go."

I said getting on her and grabbing on to her neck spike.  
"Good-bye, Eragon."  
"Good-bye, Amber."  
_Good-bye, little ones._  
Ellestygia bounded one…two…three times and fired into the air, flying, fast upward into the rising sun. She was flying so fast and steep that my grip was so tight my hands were white.  
"I do notice a difference in your speed, Ellestygia," I said after a few minutes of flying.  
_I can too because there is not as much weight. Humans have different weight change than us because the smallest change can throw our weight off more than it should. _  
"Whoa, that's a lot to deal with, but how does it happen?"  
_Well since we can fly our balance is different so when we fly the extra_ _weight can make us slow down a little bit._  
"Okay, well remember our plan, where to go?"  
_Yes, keep going at this diagonal, and then turn again…_  
"…and then turn more to the Hadarac Desert avoiding Urû'baen, and then turn back around and fly to Leona Lake."  
_Oh, look it's Gil'ead,_ said Ellestygia sarcastically after a few hours of flying.

"How about landing there?"  
_Are you insane!_ she exclaimed, _and you're seeing like me so it seems close, but it's leagues away. _  
"Right.. oh, Ellestygia, do you mind?"  
_Oh, no it's perfectly fine I don't mind you sleeping._  
I soon dozed falling into what the elves call waking dreams, we do this instead of sleeping.  
I woke soon to a blinding light and soon realizing I had slept over night.

"What is that, Ellestygia?" I said waking fast because of the level of light.  
_How am I supposed to know!_  
"Well you have better… oh forget it _Skulblakas ven_!" I commanded. It didn't really help because of, once again, the light. It took me a few moments to realize what the light really was. It all made sense to me now, the desert, the light; it was what I thought.  
"Ellestygia, go down there and that's an order!" I said.  
_Okay, if it won't cause you danger, will it?_  
"It won't, I promise," I said in the ancient language, which you can't lie when using it, so I didn't have to repeat it.  
When she landed we were a mile away, "Oh, come on, Ellestygia,it's not going to hurt me," I said," I even said it in the ancient language, so I couldn't have lied."  
_Okay, because you said it in ancient language_, she said reluctantly.  
I started to walk with a quickened pace Ellestygia not walking so quickly. Ellestygia was quiet the whole walk until, _Amber I'm thirsty, can we do something? _  
"Oh yes, I have a solution, Eragon told me about it before we left. Now dig a hole deep enough for your thirst."  
_Okay. _  
She started to dig a hole with one of her front claws, and she dug a hole at least five feet deep.  
"Is that good enough?"  
_Yes._  
"_Adurna rísa_!" I commanded.

Clean water filled the hole up to the edge, and Ellestygia lowered her neck to drink the water. When she lifted her head up she had drained the hole completely of it's contents, and we started to walk again.  
Minutes, which seemed like hours, passed before we got so close to the light I could finally see through it. After the light had cleared I saw what was it meant to be, or at least it felt like it: the Diamond Tomb. Ellestygia's eyes widened,_ Amber, why didn't you tell me?_ she said sounding like she was holding back tears.  
"Saphira told you, did she not?"  
_She told me, but nothing could prepare me for the real thing._  
I drew my sword and placed it in the ground in front of me, still holding it, bowing. Ellestygia bowed like a horse, but rose still in a bow by her wings, or it seemed, that had been previously been spread on the ground. She ended up on her back legs, her front legs still bowed, her head respectfully bowed.  
"I am truly sorry, Brom," I whispered under my breath to myself.  
_What do you mean? _  
"It's a long story, and you probably don't want to hear it."  
_Amber, I long to know as much as I can about my Rider's past life, that's my job as a loyal dragon, and besides it's morning, is it not, we have enough time. _

"_Okay, but try not to interrupt, it will take too long with commentary, and don't fly off if you get scared of my past, it's not all happy and good."  
I promise, she said in the ancient language.  
"Alright, here it goes."_


	6. Chapter 7 and 8

Chapter VII  
My Past Memories are Shared 

"One night, five years ago, I was walking in Du Weldenvarden and I saw something in the distance. I walked curiously to the creatures, and when I reached close to them I saw the creatures were about ten Urgals. What stood by them was Islanzadí's description of a Shade. 'Who are you?' I asked.  
'I am Durza,' he said.  
I remember his cold, harsh voice frightening me.  
'Have you seen an elf running around here?' he asked me.  
'Well no, but my cousin, Arya…' Durza smiled at Arya's name, 'she ran from our house saying something about a stone.'  
'Thank you,' said Durza,' you are most helpful.'  
I was confused, 'How do you know Arya?'  
'We are friends of hers,' he said running off, Urgals following.  
"Then I went back to Ellesméra and rested. Then the next day Islanzadí asked me where I had been. I told her the whole thing, about the Urgals and about Arya's 'friend'.  
'What was his name again?' she asked after I had finished.  
'I think he said it was Durza.'  
'Are you sure it was,_ in fact_, Durza?' she asked sounding like she was frightened.  
'Yes, I am most positive it was Durza, why, is it a bad thing?'  
'I am afraid I must say yes, it is a _very_ bad thing.'  
'Why?'  
'Durza is not a friend of Arya, but an enemy to all of us, he is Galbatorix's highest praised servant, he is also, as you might have noticed, a Shade.'  
'I...I...I can't believe I just helped Galbatorix capture Arya!' I yelled scared out of my mind.  
'It's okay, Amber, don't worry about her she'll get out somehow, she always does.'  
'NO! I'm going after Durza, and you can't stop me!' I yelled running out of the room.  
'Amber, don't it's too dangerous, you could get killed!'  
'I don't care, I'm going to save her!' I yelled running faster.  
'Amber, don't!' she yelled, but I had already left.  
I ran fast trying to get to Gil'ead in time to save Arya. Days passed and I was beginning to think I was too late, but I kept going to avenge her if she were dead ,and by the slightest chance she was still alive I would save her. When I finally got close enough I could see Gil'ead, I was grabbed from behind around my torso, and then what ever had grabbed pulled me up so that my legs were now dangling five feet from the ground. I looked around and saw it was an Urgal who had captured me. Then out of thin air Durza appeared in front of me.  
'Ah whom do we have here,' he said in his cold voice, 'the one who helped us locate our enemy and our egg.'  
The Urgal grunted at this because to him it was probably funny.  
'Don't laugh make sure she won't try and get out of this,' he commanded.  
The Urgal put one of his horns to the back of my neck, I stayed very still as Durza continued on, 'That will suffice enough for our cause, but give it more thought.'  
The Urgal was now starting to squeeze me harder and harder until I could hardly breathe. After a few seconds my vision flickered and I passed out.  
"I woke shortly after to see bright silver orbs floating in the air and dancing around Durza who was saying something in Shade. He held both sides of his cape with outstretched arms that made him appear to have wings. The orbs moved closer and closer toward me after Durza stopped his chanting. The Urgal squeezed me even tighter then dropped me on the ground. The collision with the ground weakened me even more. Then the orbs were floating over me they just stopped floating and hit my body making me fall asleep somehow.  
"When I woke, again, I jumped as I saw my reflection in Durza's sword. My eyes widened as I looked from Durza to his sword over and over, but it wasn't my reflection that scared me, it was what was on my face in my reflection that scared me. My face had Shade marks on it and my hair, and eyes were just as maroon as Durza's. I franticly rubbed my face hoping the marks were just dirt, but no they were real. I had become what the elves mostly feared: a traitor and a Shade. Durza grabbed my arm, and, with some force, pulled me to my feet.  
'Come,' he said to me.  
Somehow ,no matter how much I tried to turn away, I listened and followed him all the way to Gil'ead. He was running ahead of me, then just disappeared into thin air once more. I sill walked into Gil'ead trying to follow him, but to where I was unsure.  
"I walked into a wide room with one door on the opposite wall. I ran behind a pushed out wall as I heard someone coming. In two seconds a boy of sixteen or seventeen -Eragon- walked into the room. He walked over to the door and opened it with magic. I saw Arya lying on a stone table. Durza appeared behind Eragon, Durza started to talk but I couldn't hear him. All of a sudden Eragon lunged at Durza with his sword, but Durza disappeared and reappeared in the middle of the room. Once Eragon had walked into the room Durza raised his arms making the weapons on the wall behind him rattle and shake. Moving his arms straight in front of him Durza made the weapons fly off the wall toward Eragon. Eragon dropped to the floor and rolled sideways. When he got up he blocked the last weapon with his sword. Durza then made the wall crumble into boulders and fly at Eragon. Eragon shouted '_brisingr_' and the blue fire shielded Eragon making the boulders fall to the ground. Eragon was weakened by using the magic and dropped his sword. Durza then mumbled something I couldn't hear, and dropped his hand down. I realized he was making a spear levitate, and as he turned his hand the spear was turning and pointing at Eragon now. Durza was mumbling something as he did this. It was probably something bad because Eragon was shaking his head and he looked scared. As Durza turned his hand over the spear flew at Eragon. Right as the spear was going to hit Eragon Brom jumped in front of Eragon, and the spear hit Brom in-between the ribs. Eragon seeing this grabbed Zar'roc, which Brom was carrying, and threw it at Durza, who blocked it with Shade magic and again mumbled something I couldn't hear. Eragon quickly took out his bow and an arrow, and as Durza looked back at Eragon, Eragon shot Durza in the head with the arrow. Durza turned transparent and disappeared like dust.  
"I ran behind Eragon, Arya, and Brom as they fled Gil'ead. I wasn't close enough that they could see me, so that I wouldn't end up like Durza. All of a sudden they stopped as soldiers were running at them so they couldn't escape. Then, a defining roar followed by the ceiling crumbling occurred as Saphira came to rescue Eragon, Arya, and Brom. When Saphira made the ceiling crumble the debris crushed a few soldiers. Eragon asked Saphira if she could carry all of them. Even though I couldn't hear her answer I knew she couldn't for very long. Arya laid Brom in Saphira's front claws and put herself in the saddle as Eragon fought off the soldiers. Eragon saw Murtagh on the balcony above him and Murtagh shot a solider sneaking up on Eragon with an arrow. Eragon jumped onto Saphira's saddle. Saphira turned on her leg, flared her wings, and flew out of the hole in the ceiling she had made upon her entrance.  
"Reacting quickly I ran out of Gil'ead and followed Saphira, who was losing altitude from the weight of three people. I ran to where she had now landed in a near-by forest. As soon as I got there I hid further back in the forest a little ways from their camp. I dropped to my knees feeling sudden pain in between my shoulder blades, which were throbbing because Durza had flung his sword at me earlier. A few minutes later I heard rustling in the bushes, and Saphira appeared out of the darkness toward her camp. As I looked closer at her I realized Brom was on her back, and I knew it wasn't a good sign. Brom said something to her and she let him off her back and walked toward me. I was scared and back away.  
'Don't worry, Amber, I'm not going to hurt you,' he said, ' no one should serve Galbatorix under magic when they are your age or any.'  
He moved closer and put his hand on my chest. Then he said words in the ancient language, and his palm was glowing. I saw the dancing lights Durza summoned before- spirits. They had appeared in front of me, stayed for a few seconds, then fled. Brom got back on Saphira looking weaker than before.  
'_This isn't your fault little one_,' she told me with her mind and flew off."  
"After that I never saw Brom again, and later I knew why," I said finishing my story.

Ellestygia had backed when I told her about being a Shade; it was no less than I expected.  
_Amber, I'm not afraid of you, just a little stunned at Durza's evil ways. Why would he just turn a random girl into a Shade, for no reason, it's insane!_

"Well, being insane was Durza's character trait, along with being crazy."  
_I have one more question, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but what exactly did Brom do to you? _  
I expected that, "He used the last of his strength to reverse what Durza did, he saved me from being a Shade," I said realizing my eyes were filling with tears.  
_Amber, that was Durza's fault, not yours._  
"Yes it was! If I hadn't told Durza where Arya was none of this would have happened!"  
_Then Eragon wouldn't have Saphira and you wouldn't be a Rider and I would still be at Urû'baen. _  
"But…"  
_Drop it_, she growled.

_I walked over to her and got on her back.  
Amber I have another question, how did Brom know you?  
__I smiled, "Arya and I used to play with his Saphira, and he was real good friends with the elves," _I said still holding back tears_, "let's go."  
_She flared her wings, and jumped into the sky toward Leona Lake. In at least two hours she landed close to the giant, blue lake's shore.

Chapter VIII  
The Trouble at Leona Lake, Christal 

When we arrived I heard what sounded like a dragon fighting another dragon. I looked at the sky and sure enough there was a dragon fighting a Lethrblaka -the Ra'zac's parents and mounts that were bug-like and their wings were like leather. What was worse than seeing the Lethrblaka was that it was besting the dragon.  
"That Lethrblaka is besting that dragon, Ellestygia."  
_Yes, I can plainly see that and it's dripping in blood!_

"And the Lethrblaka hasn't got a scratch."  
_That's a disgrace._  
After a few minutes of watching the dragon and Lethrblaka fight, I saw the Lethrblaka push off the dragon. As the dragon was plummeting I saw what appeared to be it's Rider fall off of it. I started to run toward the lake, but I stopped as I noticed another Lethrblaka on the shore. I saw the Rider hit the lake's water very hard, then, in a minute swim to shore. There the Ra'zac grabbed the Rider, who now I saw was a girl that could have been two years younger than myself. A distraction came to the Ra'zac as the girl's dragon fell into the lake. The Lethrblaka on the shore went after the dragon, "Ellestygia!" I said, but she had already gone after the Lethrblakas.

Now one of the Ra'zacs was running at me, I quickly drew my ice blade and called, "_Adurna_!"  
As I expected the water froze midway down, but this time the ice looked like curved spikes. Every time I hit the Ra'zac it was stunned by the freezing temperature of my blade. After a few minutes I succeeded in killing the Ra'zac. I dropped my sword and quickly drew my bow and an arrow, aiming it at the other Ra'zac that was trying to kill the girl.  
"_Brisingr_!" I yelled and let go of the arrow.  
The blue flaming arrow skirted the girl's arm by inches.  
"_Get_ _down_!" I yelled.  
The girl dropped to the ground as the arrow hit the Ra'zac making a blue explosion behind the girl. It had killed the Ra'zac who was not anywhere to be seen. A huge scream broke the two-minute silence, as the girl and I stared at each other, as one of the Lethrblakas was killed by Ellestygia. An even louder scream came from Ellestygia as the other Lethrblaka bit her wing.  
"_Ellestygia_!" I yelled.  
Before I could do anything the girl responded.  
"_Jierda_!" she commanded.  
I heard a loud snap as the Lethrblaka's leg broke, and it fell to the ground. Ellestygia did like wise, her legs giving to he weight. Just as she was getting up the third Lethrblaka rammed her in the side, but she had had it. She turned and rammed the Lethrblaka with her horns, knocking it off of her. I looked back at the girl, but she had fainted from using the magic. After a few minutes Ellestygia and I had killed the remaining two Lethrblakas. I went over to the girl, "Ellestygia, can you try and find her dragon?"  
_I'll try, but I don't know how much I can stand my wing hurting like it is._ "Alright do your best and I'll take care of everything else."  
She walked over to the lake, and dove into the middle of it. I grabbed the girl's left hand, "Dragon Rider," I said confirming that I was right about her. I looked over as Ellestygia who had drug the girl's unconscious dragon to where I was sitting.  
"_Vanka_," I commanded.  
The girl slowly opened her eyes, and was now staring up at me.  
"Who are you?" she asked in a soft voice.  
"I am Amber, and this is Ellestygia," I replied," who are you?"  
"I am Christal, and that is Fricilly my dragon."  
"I owe you, you saved my dragon."  
"I did?"  
"Yes, if you wouldn't have said that spell that Lethrblaka would have seriously injured her."  
_I could have taken it_, said Ellestygia sounding a little offended.  
"Right," I said.  
"Lethrblaka, is that what those things were?" asked Christal.  
"Yes, they are the Ra'zac's mounts and parents, it's kind of odd."  
"You're right that is weird. So, how's your dragon?"  
"I don't know yet, but I will soon."  
I walked over to Ellestygia and started to examine her for serious injuries.  
_Ow, stop it, it hurts._  
"Sorry, but did you just hatch for me to complain?" I said grinning.  
"Well, it doesn't seem to be severely broken, but everything else seems… what in the world! That is a big gash!" I said concerned, "Ellestygia I have to heal that, now."  
_No I won't let you, you need to save your energy_, she said.  
"No way, I need to heal that or it might get infected."  
_I won't let you do that not now, not here._  
"Yes, here, yes now." I said getting a little annoyed with her stubbornness, "_Waíse heill_!"  
My palm with my gedwëy ignasia started to glow light blue, and the light connected the space between Ellestygia's gash and my hand.  
_Amber_, she growled at me. I felt dizzy and light-headed as I let the magic go, Ellestygia's gash was now gone completely.  
_Amber, are you alright?_ she asked softly.  
"Yes, I'm fine," I said heavily.  
"Are you alright, Amber?" asked Christal.  
"I'm fine, thanks."  
For the next few minutes I pondered how we were to get back to Ellesméra.  
"Hey, Christal, do you know how to ride?" I asked.  
"What a horse or Fricilly?"  
"Either one."  
"Well a horse, yes I am very good at riding a horse, but a dragon, as you saw, not so much."  
_Yeah that's obvious, isn't it?_ said Ellestygia.  
"Shut it, Ellestygia."  
"Wait how can you hear her, I sure can't," asked Christal.  
"Well dragons and their Riders talk using their minds, but if the dragon talks and another Rider is there the Rider has to be expecting it,the dragon or Rider wants them to be a part of the conversation, or they have the training to talk with their minds."  
"Oh, well that explains some things."  
"Well I can teach you so you don't fall again."  
"Really, you would do that!" she said getting excited.  
_Amber, but what about…_  
_I'll talk to Eragon, don't worry_, I said with my mind so Christal couldn't hear.  
After a few minutes I figured out how we were to get back.

"I know how we are to get back, Christal, you will fly on Fricilly, and I'll call an old friend."

"But who?" asked Christal. I winked at Ellestygia,

_What?_ she said confused.

I hummed an eerie tune, and then an animal touched my mind.

_Amber, is that you?_

_Yes, Tobascco, it's me._  
_Yes, I remember you now._  
_Can you come to Leona Lake?I need a way to get back to Ellesméra._  
_And I'm the 'way' aren't I? _  
_Uh...yeah._  
_Well it might take a while, even with me being a Du Weldenvarden horse, probably two days, four days tops. _  
_Thanks a lot. _  
_You're welcome, see you then_, she said.  
We both withdrew.  
_Who was that!_ roared Ellestygia entering my mind in a split second, the sudden touch made me jump. Then I had to tell her about Tobascco.  
There was a few minutes silence, then, "Amber, what are we going to do with Ellestygia, I mean she can't fly, can she?" asked Christal.

I knew Ellestygia had touched Christal's mind when Christal gave a sudden jump.

I heard Ellestygia's words though, _Excuse me, I'm not that old! _  
Christal looked like she thought Ellestygia was going to attack her.  
"I'm sorry I didn't know!"  
Ellestygia withdrew from her.  
"Ellestygia, be nice."  
_I'm sorry I don't know what happened. _  
"Well it's late, Christal, let's go to bed, you training starts tomorrow." "Alright."

Christal and I laid down, and I fell into my waking dreams.


	7. Chapter 9 and 10

Chapter IX  
Christal's Training 

I woke Christal the next morning to start her training, "Oh, yeah let's get started," she yawned still waking up.

She woke up completely then we started.  
"Alright first I'll teach you about magic. Do you know the rules to magic?" "No, not really, magic has rules?"  
"Yes, magic can effect you if you use spells your body isn't ready to use, some will make you weak or dizzy, others will make you pass out, and some others that are used before you are ready, will kill you."  
"That's not good."  
"No, death is not what we're aiming for, right now just stick to the spells I tell you are safe."  
"Okay, go ahead."  
"Do you know what _brisingr_ means?"  
"No."  
"It means fire, do you even know what you said against the Lethrblakas?" "No."  
"You said _jierda_, it means to break or hit."  
"Alright keep going."  
"Okay, these are some spells that might just leave you weak, _adurna_, it means water, _brisingr_, means fire, _kvistr_, means branch, got it."  
"Yes, so these are ones I can use?"  
"Yes, but these that I'm just about to tell you might make you faint, and should only be used as a last resort."  
"Alright, go on please."  
"Okay, _kveykva_, means lightning, _jierda_, means break or hit, and _waíse heill_, means be healed."  
"Okay, do you know the ones I should never use?"  
"Well, one, _waíse heill_, but only if you try to bring people back to life, it will never work and it will kill you still."  
"Oh, well ones I can use?"  
"_Brisingr,_ _adurna_, and _kvistr_."  
"Alright, thanks."  
"You're welcome, I would end up sharing that with you anyway, but this is more proper."  
"Okay, well what about talking with our minds, I heard it could be dangerous, so why do we do it?"  
"Well, it's only dangerous if you don't know how to defend your mind from enemies."  
"How do you do that?"  
"You put up barriers that protect your memories."  
"And how do you do that?"  
"You think of something hard like a dragon scale or a brick wall."  
"I still don't think I could do it."

"Well maybe you should learn if you try to attack me and I'll show you how. Just relax and try to think of attacking me."  
"But I would never…"  
"Just do it, you can't hurt me."  
I closed my eyes Christal immediately tried to attack me, but I quickly put up a barrier of magic around my memories. Christal recoiled as I did this because my barriers were so strong. I tried a small, feeble attack on her; she didn't put up barrier quick enough. I saw flashes of her memories, there were two people a man and a woman, there was a bright flash of black, and a girl about nine or ten running away from something invisible to me.  
_Enough!_ yelled Christal making me open my eyes.  
Her face was pale and covered with sweat.  
"I'm sorry I only did a small attack and I thought you would block me, I didn't mean to hurt you," I said.  
"It's alright, I just- I- I just don't want to think about those."  
"That's what scrying is."  
"What is scrying?"  
"What I just did to you, it's where a person tries to see other people's memories, but I only tried it feebly and not intending to hurt you, people who want to make it hurt and do it strongly can hear words or voices and actually hurt you badly."  
"Really?"  
"Yes, and besides you could've stopped me with a barrier, you didn't have to yell."  
"Really, how could I though?"  
"Think your words, make it clear to your enemy that you don't want them to go there, but don't say it."  
"Oh."  
"Do you want to try again?"  
"Yes, this time I'll try harder to put up barriers."  
"Okay, and I'll attack a little harder, I won't hurt you though."  
I closed my eyes once more, and again Christal tried to attack immediately. It was a stronger attack, but I am trained so I blocked it easily. I went to attack her, but she put up a feeble barrier. My attack went right through it, this time I saw her dragon bursting from it's egg, her dragon grabbing her up into the air away from a house. This time I was hearing words. As her dragon was taking her up I heard him yell, _I have to take you away from here_, and Christal yelled back, "No, take me down, they'll get killed, no!"

I also saw the same woman and man from before, but this time they were lying on the floor of a house.  
_STOP!_ yelled Christal.  
I opened my eyes, and now she was on her knees, her face as white as snow. "I'm sorry, I can't control what I see, until you do something."  
"I… know…I…just can't… take that," she gasped.  
"Alright enough for today, you need some rest and a break from this," I said.  
"You're right, good night."  
"Good night."  
I trained Christal for the next two days, and every time I saw her memories they always ended at the man and woman before Christal yelled for me to stop.  
"Hey, Amber?" she asked.  
"Yes?"  
"Is my dragon alive?"  
"See for yourself, I can't do anything."  
"Can't dragons understand human speech?"  
Ellestygia once again made her jump, and I heard her words, _We're not_ _stupid!_  
"Ellestygia cool it!" I yelled.  
"I know that you aren't, Ellestygia, I just wondered whether my dragon could hear me or not."  
"Well normally he could, but I don't think, being like he is, he would hear you."  
"I'll try my best," she said and sat down on the ground.  
She swayed a bit, but I caught her as she fell backwards. I sat down and talked to Ellestygia about what I had seen in Christal's memories.  
In at least ten minutes Christal sat up straight.  
"What did he say?" I asked when she had walked over to me.  
"Well at first he was crying 'Alone, I'm alone, she's gone!' Then when he finally let me talk to him it was more like _Christal, I can't believe… you're alive._ Then I asked why he wouldn't wake up he said this, _I thought you were dead, so I just withdrew to myself._ Why was that?"  
"Well."  
I paused and looked at Ellestygia, and she gave me a nod, "A Dragon Rider will live until time takes it's toll, or is killed in battle, if their dragon dies."  
"Okay, so if a dragon dies it won't kill the Rider?"  
"You got it, but if a Rider is the one to die," I paused again. Ellestygia finished my sentence.  
_…the dragon follows. _  
"WHAT! So if I die my dragon will die as well?"  
"Yes," I said.  
"That's horrible!"  
"Oh it gets worse, well the news of it all, if you are hurt severely the dragon feels the pain also."  
"That's really horrible!"  
"I can tell you some things that you might want to avoid to help you to stay uninjured and alive."  
"What are they?"  
"A magician's duel, is when two magic users get into a fight only based on using magic against each other."  
"So like fighting a Shade?"  
"Yes, but a Shade, I think, would be a lot harder than beating a young inexperienced magic user."  
"You're right, I think, but can we sleep now I am so tired?"  
"Sure, but we will move on tomorrow, and will postpone our training until further notice."  
"Got…it," she yawned. We lied down next to our dragons, and I quickly fell asleep.  
In about the middle of the night I woke from the sound of rustling leaves and cracking twigs. I rolled over a grabbed my sword, but quickly put it down because the commotion was Fricilly getting up and shaking lose his limbs. An unknown conscience touched my mind, so I put up protective barriers immediately.  
_Amber, it's just me, Friciey!_ said the unknown conscious.  
_Who?_ I asked still in alarm.  
_Oh dear she did it again, didn't she? To you I am Fricilly_, he said.  
_Oh, well that makes sense, but why did you say Friciey? _  
_Well Christal won't listen to me enough for me to tell her my name together, so she calls me Fricilly not Friciey. _  
_That's different._  
_Yes, well, that's Christal._ I told him what I had been doing with Christal, and then withdrew.  
Tobascco touched my mind quickly afterwords.

_You know this is getting old_, I said sarcastically.  
_What's getting old?_ she asked.  
_Never mind, where are you?_  
_About ten miles away_, she said, _but there are soldiers coming I can see them traveling during the day. _  
_SOLDIERS!_ I exclaimed, _I'll have to get Christal, her dragon, Ellestygia, and myself out of here! _  
_DR...DR...DRAGONS! Those things are so-so-so scary, and they've eaten horses of my heard before! _  
_I promise, they won't eat you or in anyway try to harm you_, I said in the ancient language.

_Okay, see you soon_, she said and withdrew.  
It took me a few minutes to wake Ellestygia.  
_Wha…at?_ she yawned smoke spilling from her mouth and nostrils since she could not breathe fire yet.  
"Oh get up, unless you want to serve Galbatorix for the rest of your life."

_What!_ she said jumping up quickly.  
"Yes his soldiers are ten miles away or less," I replied.  
_How do you know this?_  
"Tobascco was talking to me and she said that she was about ten miles away, and that Galbatorix's soldiers were not far behind her."  
_SOLDIERS! We need to go, now._  
"Yes, we need to get Christal and Friciey out."  
_Who?_  
"Fricilly."  
_Oh._  
I woke Christal, and Ellestygia woke Friciey.

"What?" moaned Christal, "wake me later."  
"There won't be a later if you don't get up now!" I whispered loudly.

"Okay, okay, okay, I'm up!" she said.  
When she was getting up slowly I grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.  
"Get on Friciey now!" I said, then I saw her confused face and just as she opened her mouth I added, " don't even ask, your dragon!"  
"But… why?"  
"There are soldiers not far from us, and you will follow Ellestygia back to Ellesméra."  
"SOL…"  
"Don't even say it!" I said getting annoyed with the same remark.  
I told her everything I was taught about riding a dragon.  
"I'll be right under you so don't worry about the soldiers, and one…"  
A snapping twig broke my words away from my mouth. My heart was pounding as I retrieved my blade from the ground.  
The snapping got closer, and I was trembling from head to toe. Then a strawberry brown horse appeared out of the brush.  
"Tobascco!" I said breathing a huge sigh of relief.  
Just like the dragons, Tobascco was a horse that spoke in a telepathic sort of way, _There is no time for greetings, Amber, the soldiers are right behind me_, she said.  
I jumped on her back taking her warning that there was no time for greetings.  
"Alright, Ellestygia, lead the way," I said.  
She walked, then bounded, and flew toward Dras-Leona. I saw Christal's white, frightened face as Friciey began to walk, "Don't worry you'll do fine," I reassured her feeling a bit of nostalgia.  
Friciey bounded into the sky following Ellestygia.  
"Come on, Tobascco, let's ride," I said, and she bounded into a full gallop.

Chapter X  
The Dragons' Escape 

We rode for hours before I saw the dark, death-like peaks of Helgrind. I contacted Ellestygia, who was above me, with my mind,  
_Ellestygia, will you come down for a bit? _  
_Why?_  
_Don't you need a rest, I know I do, and I think Tobascco could use a few minutes too.  
Okay, I'll tell Friciey._  
_How do you know his real name?_  
_You do get to know things about each other when you fly for hours with them. _

_Ah, okay, see you soon._ I withdrew.

_What did she say?_

"Oh, we're going to stop for a quick rest in Dras-Leona."

_But there are soldiers, we can't afford to stop, especially in Dras-Leona._  
"Well we all need a rest, so we are going to stop."

Tobascco soon hit a cobblestone road as soon as I withdrew.  
_I still don't like this, I mean look there are so many people here and… never mind the people there are so many soldiers here too._ _It's not safe for us, so at least put on your cloak_, said Tobascco.  
_Fine I will, but don't worry about safety we've got two dragons…_  
_That's what I'm afraid of, that they'll see the dragons._  
_But we are stopping here, so they won't see us out of the town._  
_Yes, but who knows, someone could see us. _  
_If they get close I'll just use a spell so we turn invisible, I can handle it.  
Fine. _  
_I know you are just trying to…_ I started to say but a roar muted the rest of my words.

Seeing what caused the roar I yelled, _Ellestygia, get out of the sky, now!_  
Seconds later Ellestygia landed beside me and four feet from Tobascco. _What is it._  
_Be quiet, Ellestygia, I said with my mind, where's Christal and…_

The roar issued again, and suddenly a blood red dragon with white crescent shaped horns was flying straight toward us.

_Ellestygia, leave now!_ I said.  
_No! I won't leave you in danger's grasp! _  
"Fine, if you won't leave," I said, "then I'll have to do this. _Garjzla letta_!" Just then, Christal and Friciey landed behind us.  
"What did you…" she stopped as she saw us turning invisible.  
"I said _garjzla letta_," I snapped at her, making her and Friciey turn invisible too.  
As the red dragon flew over us I saw that it was Thorn, and atop him was Murtagh, who had both been described in Eragon's stories. Murtagh jumped off Thorn and walked toward us until he was inches from Ellestygia's body.

She was on the verge of growling at the traitor, _Ellestygia, don't even think about it, heck don't even think thinking about it! _  
Murtagh turned and walked to Thorn, who bounded into the air. In seconds something invisible picked me up and flung me on it's back while flying. It was Ellestygia who had picked me up, but we were still invisible so I couldn't see her.  
I called to Christal with my mind,_ Stay there and don't move I'll come back to get you, don't follow us! _  
I was surprised when she replied, _How can I follow you, I can't even see you? _  
As we were following Thorn and Murtagh the color on Ellestygia's scales was returning and I could see my legs.  
_Ellestygia, your color is returning, I can see you._  
_Well, I can see that too-quick-to-hatch dragon and his traitor of a Rider, _she snapped_, and they are heading to that too-dark-for-life city Urû'baen. _  
_Well where else would disgraces to Riders go? _  
_They could leave Alagaësia and never return!_ she growled softly.  
Her answer shocked me. I knew of Eragon's fortune telling, only because of his vivid stories, and she did not, but she still said it.  
_How do you know that phrase?_  
_No answers now, Amber, we're gaining on them!_ she said excitedly.  
_Why are you so…_  
My words were cut off as her saddle's color came back, and I did not know how it got on her, then my question was answered. All of her color returned and I saw that I was not riding Ellestygia, but Saphira. Eragon was sitting behind me smiling, _We told you we would come, little one,_ said Saphira.  
"Well that explains some things," I said aloud because Eragon was there and I didn't have to talk with my mind, "but where is…"  
"Ellestygia, is right under us, see," said Eragon.  
I looked down, and sure enough Ellestygia was flying under Saphira, her eyes narrowed and glaring at Thorn.  
"Can I get on her, no offense, Saphira?" I said wanting to ride my own dragon.  
_Sure, little one._  
Before she could lower herself closer to Ellestygia I jumped down, off of her and glided through the air between the two dragons. I said a few spells then landed softly on Ellestygia's back where I normally sat.

"Did you miss me?" I said grabbing the neck spike in front of me.  
Ellestygia let out a roar so loud I had to cover my ears. Thorn looked over his shoulder, and now Murtagh and Thorn were aware of the dragons chasing them.

"Oh now you've done it!" I yelled annoyed that if she had done that they would have never known we were chasing them.  
_Hold on!_ she yelled.  
I quickly grabbed her neck spike.  
Multiple things happened at once, Saphira jolted fire at Thorn, and I saw Eragon and Saphira's faces as Thorn blocked Saphira's flame with his own. I gripped Ellestygia's neck spike harder as she dove and spiraled under Thorn.  
"Eragon, go back, I won't have you get hurt!" I yelled.  
"NO!" he yelled back.  
"GO, NOW!" I yelled.  
"FINE, but I can't help you if you get hurt!" he yelled.  
Saphira tucked under Thorn and flew off toward Ellesméra.  
"Come and get us!" I yelled at Murtagh and Thorn.  
_Ellestygia, to the Hadarac Desert! _  
She flew as fast as she could toward the Hadarac Desert where I knew we could beat them.


	8. Chapter 11 and 12

Chapter XI  
Finding the Dragon's Fire 

When we got to the desert Ellestygia turned and faced the oncoming Thorn. I saw Zar'roc's blood red blade shinning preternaturally in the sun's rays.  
_Gosh I hope this ends well_, I thought.  
_Me too_, replied Ellestygia. Thorn dove at Ellestygia, but she spiraled upward evading him.  
_Amber!_ she snapped.  
_Oh, right, sorry_, I said drawing my sword. I commanded the water, and once more it froze midway down.  
"Bring it on, Murtagh!" I yelled.  
Thorn, looking outraged, pulled up and barely missed Ellestygia, but he turned around quickly, slashing Ellestygia's hip with his tail. She let out an agonizing scream as Thorn gashed her hip, again, with his claws. She lashed out at Thorn, but missed him on purpose so she could pull up and over him, she did exactly so.

_Ellestygia, are you all right!_ I said with my mind.  
_I'm fine, and I have a plan_, she replied.

She flew up even more, and I saw her look at Thorn's hips. She dove down toward Thorn, and grabbed Thorn's hips with her claws, pulling him down painfully. Thorn was roaring in agony as Ellestygia's claws were digging into his hips.  
_We're winning, we are actually winning_, I thought to myself, but in seconds I saw what changed my optimistic thoughts.

A condensed orb of air was flying straight at Ellestygia.

_Ellestygia!_ I yelled.

She ducked and the orb of air went right over her head. The orb of air kept going and hit me in the chest extremely hard, my breath caught and I was now barely conscious.

_Amber!_ Ellestygia yelled and she roared to confirm her feelings.

She pushed off Thorn, letting go of his hips. I could feel her giving me her strength, something dragons can do to heal their Riders and will weaken the dragon.  
_Stop it!_ I snapped at her, _If you give me your strength you'll crash, killing me and resulting in both of our ends! _  
_Fine!_ she snapped back.  
Thorn eventually caught up to us and was soon face to face with Ellestygia.

"So look who it is!" Murtagh shouted sarcastically, "little miss I don't need any help!"

I scowled at his remarks.

"Well let's see how this ends!" he yelled enjoying that he was beating me.  
_Oh, great so this is how it's going to end!_ I thought as Thorn jetted fire at Ellestygia.

My mouth nearly fell open as Ellestygia drew back her neck, and as she opened her mouth a thick stream of fire burst from her mouth. Thorn's flame was blocked, and I could tell Ellestygia was surprised at all of this. Murtagh's mouth was all the way opened as he beheld the sight. Thorn was smarter than us and took advantage of the shocked moment, and when he found his plan he drew back his neck to breathe fire again. Just as he was about to release the fire, something that could kill us, but a black and red flash tackled him out of the air and to the ground.

Chapter XII  
The Struggle for Life 

When they landed I noticed the red and black flash was Friciey with Christal atop him. Christal soon jumped off Friciey, and even then I knew it was a bad thing to do. Murtagh jumped off Thorn and drew Zar'roc looking like he was laughing his head off because of the easy match. I then realized my back was throbbing and felt like cold water was running down it. I put my hand over my back, when I saw my hand it was covered in blood.  
_How did he do that!_ I said with my mind because of the pain.  
_When I spiraled up he gashed you with his dagger, but you didn't notice because you were too worried about me.  
_I was just about to reply to that when a racking scream cut me off. I could see that Murtagh had stabbed Christal with Zar'roc, but I didn't see where so I assumed something bad. Not three seconds later Friciey tackled Thorn, Friciey then bit Thorn's leg so hard I even heard it snap in the air. Thorn roared unbearably and Thorn grabbed Friciey's neck with his teeth. Friciey let out an extremely loud roar. Ellestygia landed on the ground to help Friciey and I got off of her, and I saw that Friciey looked furious and hurt at the same time. Friciey then drew back his wing closest to Thorn, and still being held by his neck, knocked Thorn to the ground with his wing. Friciey walked over to Thorn, who was now laying on the ground. Thorn looked beaten, but in two seconds he was on his feet. As fast as lightning Thorn drove his horns into Friciey's chest. Friciey let out an indescribable scream that was most likely heard in Ellesméra, and I saw Friciey's eyes widen at the sight of Thorn's horns in his chest. His eyes widened even more as Thorn pulled his horns out with painful force. Friciey collapsed because of blood loss.

"_NO_!" I yelled as loud as my voice would go.

"Consider this a warning if you will, but I only consider this only a pinch to what Galbatorix can do!" said Murtagh getting on Thorn. They flew away to _Urû'baen_ leaving me dizzy and confused. I realized that I was going to pass out because of the injury on my back. All of a sudden I collapsed.  
I was quickly woken by a roar.

_Get up, quick!_ said Ellestygia.

I got up, my back still sore.  
_Hurry, Amber, look!_ she said.

I looked over to where Christal had collapsed, like her dragon, from blood loss.

"Christal!

I yelled running to her.  
_Amber, don't you dare heal her arm!_  
"I wasn't because I didn't know where to heal her, but now I do, thanks," I said putting my hand over her bleeding arm.  
_Amber_, Ellestygia growled, her eyes narrowing.  
"Too late," I said in a taunting tone, "_Waíse heill!_"

The blue mist-like magic came from my hand and highlighted the gash on Christal's arm, and I held the magic until Christal's arm was fully healed. After I was done I staggered over to Ellestygia and fell against her leg.  
_Young one_, she said softly, _you did the right thing._

It took Christal five minutes to wake, "Amber," she said.  
"Yes."

"Where's- where's Friciey?"

I smiled.  
"What?"  
"It's just that…never mind, he's over there," I said hoping he wasn't already dead.  
I followed her over to her dragon now gasping for air. She ran to him and fell to her knees, wrapping her arms around his bleeding neck. She started to cry at the sight of her dying dragon. I assumed she couldn't take it, for she unwrapped her arms from his neck and put her hand over his chest.  
"Christal, no," I said going to her and pulling her arm away shaking my head.

She got the message and backed away.  
I knelt down in front of her dragon.

_Please, Friciey, don't leave your Rider, she can't live without you._  
He touched my mind, _Amber, don't do this you're too weak, you'll die._  
_I'm not going to let you die! Waíse heill!_ I said aloud.  
Immediately I felt all of my energy go from my body, but I held the flow of magic that could easily kill me. My heart was racing faster than I ever thought possible, and my body was shaking like I was in the middle of an earthquake that could destroy the world. The only thing keeping me from letting the magic go was the thought of how young Friciey was, and how Christal would handle seeing me give up on her dragon. All of a sudden my vision went, along with my breath, and I fell back hitting the ground under me.  
"_AMBER_!" yelled Christal and Ellestygia as I hit the ground.


	9. Chapter 13 and 14

Chapter XIII  
I have Visions of Past Events

My head spun, and I only saw only blackness, then I saw "her". The woman was running from a person with maroon hair and eyes, a Shade. The Shade was different from Durza, but I didn't know how. The Shade commanded fire in front of the woman, making her run the other way. The Shade appeared in front of her, blocking her from running away, and making her recoil. She looked for a way to escape, but since she had nowhere to go she took a royal blue stone out of a cloth pouch, said something in the ancient language and the stone disappeared.  
_Wait!_ I thought, _running from something, that spell, the stone, that's Arya! I'm seeing things of past time! _

Then the vision disappeared and I only saw Arya in a stone-walled room looking up at me.

_Amber, is that you?_  
_Yes. I thought you were held captive at Urû'baen? _  
_Not 'were' I am captured and held at Urû'baen,_ she said sadly, _Do you know who the new Rider is yet?_  
_Yes, as a matter of fact…_

Arya gave a yelp and collapsed to the stone floor.

_Arya!_  
_Amber, I have two things I desperately need to tell you, about your parents._  
_But I already…  
No, I am not your sister and __Islanzadí__ is not your mother, she said getting up, you see __Islanzadí__ found you wandering in the forest so she took you in. You were also the first to be blessed, at your age, by Du Arget Garjzla at __the Agaetí Blödhren that's why you're an elf._  
_Du Arget Garjzla?_ I asked not familiar with the name.  
_Yes, Du Arget Garjzla, The Silver Light, is what we call Brom's Saphira. Back to the subject I actually know who your real parents are._  
_What does it matter, I'm going to die anyway, and no one would be devastated, I said now trying to hold back tears._  
Arya didn't say anything for a few minutes.

_Arya, ARYA!_  
_AMBER! How could you say that, I still care for you as a sister? If you died because of me I would go insane! Your parents are- are…_  
_Arya, say it already! _  
_Brom and Selena!_ she said after gasping for air, _you're important_, she added faintly.

Her breath seemed to be catching, I was right; she spread her hand across her heart and dropped to the floor gasping desperately for air.

_Arya, Arya, ARYA!_  
Her eyes remained shut tight and now she was barely breathing. My vision of her changed to swirling blackness, _I can't believe I am Brom's daughter! Wait what they call Eragon, Eragon Bromsson! Eragon's my brother! I can not tell Ellestygia this._  
The swirling darkness was getting closer and closer to me, _I'm slipping away, and no one can stop it._  
I started to cry as I thought this.

Chapter XIV  
Christal's Loss

"_K__veykva_!" I heard someone shout.  
All of a sudden the swirling darkness was illuminated, and I found myself looking at Christal, who was crouching over me.  
"Amber!" she shouted and pulled me into a hug.  
"What happened?"  
"Well you tried…"  
"No, the spell."  
"Oh, well, you were barely breathing, so I told Ellestygia I should do something, and I had learned what _kveykva_ could do, because of you. She told me not to, but I did it anyway."  
"Good, in that case I wouldn't have listened to either," I said smiling, "and, you saved my life, thank you."  
Ellestygia craned her neck down into my hands.  
_I'm sorry, Amber, I just didn't want you to get hurt by the magic_, Ellestygia said softly.  
"Well if she hadn't, you'd be gone too."  
I walked over to Friciey, who was as still as rock, he was not even breathing.  
"Oh no," I said under my breath.  
Christal fell to the ground for no apparent reason.  
"Christal!" I yelled.  
"I'm fine," she said jumping up," but it's like I lost mobility in my body or something like it."  
I quickly went to her and grabbed her hand, looking at her palm.  
"What are you doing?"  
"I was told that when a Rider's dragon dies the gedwëy ignasia on the Rider's palm turns black."  
She looked scared at my words. I noticed her gedwëy ignasia was half-black and the rest was slowly following spot-by-spot turning the silver to black.

"Christal, Friciey is slipping away, entering the darkness, fading away," I said trying to avoid the word dying.  
Christal ran to her dying dragon. She fell to her knees by her dragon, throwing her arms around his neck.  
_Friciey_, I called with my mind.  
_Yes_, came his labored reply.  
_What's happening to Christal's gedw__ë__y ignasia, I've never seen it go like that._  
_Her gedw__ë__y ignasia is changing as my heart grows weaker. You did the best you could, but my injuries are too severe, and besides if I lived my life it would be horrible, my chest and neck are just hurt too badly I would be in so much pain. I can't live on, it would be too hard. _  
_No, you can't leave Christal, she needs you, please don't leave her!  
I'm sorry, Amber, it's… it's just… better this way…_ he said his words labored and faded.  
I was immediately withdrawn from his mind. I heard Christal yelling her dragon's name.  
"Christal, enough, he's gone," I said my voice barely audible.  
"NO!" she yelped, "_No, no no!_"  
"Christal, you can't stop it, it's too late."  
She broke down, sobbing like I had never seen. I went over to her, gently hugging her to comfort her loss. She stood there in my embrace for at least two hours, until Christal stopped crying and laid down to sleep. I laid down by Ellestygia and looked up at the gem-like stars, wondering what would happen next.  
I woke in the middle of the night to a blinding light. I looked to the sky, and I saw a bright silver figure flying through the black sky. It landed between Christal and Friciey, who were four feet apart. Now I could see the silver creature was in the shape of a dragon, and the light it was giving off was its brilliant silver-colored scales. I stood up and just stared at it, bewildered at what it was doing here of all places. The dragon walked over to Friciey's limp body, and laid its wings over Friciey's chest. As soon as its wings touched Friciey a flash of silver light illuminated the sky. The dragon roared and in one minute Friciey rose.  
"Tha… tha… that's impossible, even with magic it wouldn't work," I whispered to myself, "if you try to bring anything back to life it would kill you and still not work!"  
I tried to think of anyway possible, but nothing came to mind. Friciey was looking around, looking confused that he could see at all. The silver creature walked to me, and looked at me with sapphire eyes.  
"Wh… wh… who are you?" I stammered not wanting to get hurt.  
The creature touched my mind, _I am… wait you can see me?_ it asked in a soft, female voice.  
"Yes, I believe so," I said.  
_I am Du Arget Garjzla._  
Arya's words rang in my head, "_You were the first to be blessed by Du Arget Garjzla, that's what we call Brom's Saphira_."  
"Saphira?" I asked hopeful.  
_Yes, but I haven't been called that since I was killed in the battle against Morzan_, she said, _not many people know that, so how do you know it._  
"That's easy, Eka eddyr Amber Bromsdaughter," I said in the ancient language.  
_B-B- Bromsdaughter?_ she stammered confused, _I thought Brom only had a son…_  
"Eragon? Yes, so did I, but I guess we were both wrong there, weren't we?"

_Yes, I guess so,_ she chuckled. _I knew he kept many secrets, even from me, but his own daughter? _  
"And son."  
_He hasn't told Eragon?_  
"He never told Eragon," I said my throat feeling like I was holding back tears, thinking of why Brom never told Eragon.  
_What do you mean 'never'?_  
"He was going to, I guess, but he was killed before that happened," I said feeling like the tears were going to surface.  
_He was k…k…killed!_  
"Yes", I said softly.  
_Tell me who it is, and I'll kill _them_!_ she said flaring up instantly.  
"Don't worry about that, Eragon took care of him," I said and couldn't help breaking into a huge smile at the thought of Eragon killing Durza.  
I told her my role in Brom's death and what Eragon did to avenge Brom.  
"Anyway, what are you doing here?" I asked after I was done.  
_I watch over Alagaësia to make sure no battles start that remake the Fall all over again._  
"Oh, well, I meant what are you doing here?"  
_Oh, well, I also take dragons that have…uh… died and they help me keep order._  
"So you're a ghost?"  
_No, I'm a spirit, like most people or animals after they die, but we are different than a ghost because we can be seen by certain people and we can do a lot more than ghosts can._  
"So Friciey isn't alive, is he?"  
_I'm sorry, I, like every other magic user, can't bring anything back to life, __but I can turn them into spirits after their deaths, only dragons though._  
"Oh," I said kind of disappointed that I wouldn't give Christal any uplifting news.  
_I'm sorry, but… _she started, but paused as the sun's first rays peaked through the lowest point in the ground. They hit her brilliant scales and shot rainbow colors all over the camp.  
_I must go when the sun rises because spirits, unlike ghost, shouldn't be seen in the day, so I must go_, she said, come young dragon.  
"How will I know this isn't a dream?" I said before she could leave.  
_By this_, she said touching my gedwëy ignasia with her nose. She flew off, Friciey following, as I fell asleep with the help of her magic.


	10. Chapter 15 and 16

Chapter XV  
My Wrong Choice 

"Amber, Amber!" someone yelled.  
I woke up and saw it was Christal who was trying to wake me.  
"What?" I yawned.  
"Friciey's gone!" she yelped.  
I looked at my gedwëy ignasia, it was glowing silver like Saphira's scales.

"Du Arget Garjzla," I muttered under my breath.  
"What did you say?"  
"Nothing!" I said in alert that she heard me.  
_Look who found us,_ said Ellestygia indicating the strawberry-brown horse in the corner of our camp.  
"Tobascco! How did you find us?" I asked.  
_That's easy, just follow the chaos_, she replied.  
"Funny, listen, I need Christal to ride you, Ellestygia," I said.  
_What! _  
"It's only for half the trip, Ellestygia, and besides it might be fun to teach Christal a thing or two."  
"What trip, when?" said Christal.  
"The trip back to Ellesméra and now is when."  
"But, Amber, how will I ride her, she hasn't got a saddle!" I said, and held out my hand, my palm facing upward. I said a few words in the ancient language, and a brown orb materialized, hovering over my palm. I flicked my hand toward Ellestygia's back, and the orb streamed onto her back, turning into her saddle.  
"That's how," I said.  
"Whoa, how did you do that?" asked Christal in awe.  
"It's kind of complicated."  
Christal scrambled onto Ellestygia's back with a leg up. After we had our plans set and Christal was securely on Ellestygia, I told her it was time to go. She bounded off, and I jumped on Tobascco and she galloped off after Ellestygia. When I looked down I saw the sand changing from yellow to deep gold as we went further into the desert.  
We rode for hours, endless hours, until I felt the presence of where I wanted to be.  
"Tobascco, turn right- now!" I said pulling her into a sharp, on-the-dime turn to the right.  
_Wha...no...ow!_ she yelped confused for a second, then, her thoughts caught up with what she was seeing, _I don't want to- Amber, what are you thinking!_

_I don't like this...no...I will not!_ _I want no part in this messed up scheme of yours, and is that, Amber, you can't make me go to…  
"_You're not going to change my mind, never, it's for someone's own good!" I said before she could say "its" name.  
"It" got clearer into view, its dark pillars not even attempting to catch the sun's rays, even thought it was the brightest day yet. I saw Urû'baen.  
_What are you even thinking about doing here!_ asked Tobascco in a frightened tone.  
"I'm going to save Arya, for crying out loud!" I said annoyed.  
_How do you even know she's in that forbidden death trap, for all you know it could be a trap! _  
"Trust me, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me."  
I suddenly felt dizzy and unstable, until I fainted, probably because, like Tobascco said, this was a trap.  
I saw Arya in the same cell she was in before. She was laying on the floor barely breathing and twitching in unknown pain. All of a sudden a Shade appeared out of nowhere, blocking Arya from my view. The Shade was a woman, who looked like she could be Durza's sister.  
_I see she has not long, but who cares, Galbatorix would be pleased to get rid of her for escaping him more than once. _  
_Who are you_, I said noticing I was now standing with Arya and the Shade.

_I am Arilia, Carsaib's sister._  
_Who...oh, Durza_, I said remembering that before Durza was a Shade he was Carsaib, a boy with no parents. He was found by a person living in the desert, and he always called Carsaib "desert rat" then the man was killed and Carsaib called upon the Spirits, then they turned on him, turning him into a Shade, Durza.

_Come if you dare to save her life, but be aware of losing yours. _With that she disappeared, leaving me to slowly wake.  
When I woke I was mysteriously on the ground, looking up at Tobascco.  
"How in the world did I get on the ground?" I exclaimed.  
_You just fell off of me after you fainted._  
She tried to say something else, but I cut her off saying, "There's no time to talk, Arya's in danger of dying. Stay here, and if I'm not back by dusk, try and call Ellestygia or Christal."  
_You're going into that horrid death hall!_  
"How many names do you have for Urû'baen... never mind," I said starting to run to Urû'baen.  
I ran until I was a dragon's length away, then I stopped.

"_Garjzla letta_," I whispered so I wouldn't be seen.

I went over my plan in my head as the spell took effect, then, I whispered it aloud. Sneak in, get Arya, look in the treasury for eggs, and get out all without being seen. That ought to be easy, but I don't know, being me and all. I whispered it several times until I made sure I wouldn't do anything wrong, though it would be hard to. I walked on until I meet Urû'baen's doors, but they weren't really doors. It was more of a rectangular hole about thirteen to fifteen feet tall, and eleven feet wide. I cautiously walked through it, my eyes were franticly darting from side to side looking for danger. I was completely visible now that the spell had lost effect. I then noticed all the guards were gone, I wondered were they could be, but finally I gave up the attempt.  
After ten minutes, which seemed like an hour, I found cells lined in a row all the way down one corridor.  
"_Skulblakas ven_," I whispered gaining Ellestygia's sight.  
I looked down the row of cells, seeing through the cells, I saw a red-yellow figure on the floor. Magic users are usually red-yellow while enemies are red-orange. I knew it was Arya, but I still walked cautiously to the cell. I drew my sword, and, being close enough, I looked through the bars making a window at the top of the door.  
"Arya, Arya, please wake up- oh, duh, vankna," I said.  
Arya slowly opened her eyes, "Am…ber," she said weakly.  
"Yes, it's me, but how do I get you out?" She seemed to gain back her strength fast, considering she was an elf.  
"I don't know, but you could try breaking the lock, that might work."  
"Why didn't I think of that!"  
I drew my ice blade and commanded water and the blade froze. I then touched the lock with my blade's tip. Then, it did something I hadn't seen before, when it touched the lock turned to solid ice. I thrust the blade upward and the iced-over lock shattering it off.  
"Arya, hurry!" I said pushing the door open and grabbing her arm, pulling her along. I ran in the direction that Arya was pointing to, the treasury.  
Once we entered the treasury I had made a horrible mistake. The giant, evil,black dragon Shruikan laying by the wall to the left of us, but he was sleeping.  
"Arya, look," I whispered, "there's a dragon egg."  
"What are you saying?"  
"I'm going to take it."  
"Amber, you can't, it might be a trap."  
"But Galbatorix could find the Rider before us."  
I cautiously walked to the egg, and bent down to pick it up. I put the egg in my cloth pouch. As soon as it left the ground Shruikan's evil-red eyes opened, it was like Arya had said, and the egg was like a trap. Shruikan rose to all fours, flaring his wings, and looking straight at the wall in front of him. I knew he would soon see me, so I slowly backed away.  
"Let's go," I whispered to Arya.  
"Oh you've done it now!" she yelled at me.  
We both realized that she had attracted Shruikan's attention to us. "No, I think _you've_ done it!" I yelled.  
Then, Shruikan let loose a defining roar that made loose dirt fall from the stone ceiling. I took Arya once more by the arm, and ran with her out of the room in to a long hallway leading to the entrance.  
We ran down the long hallway, but halfway down it the ceiling crumbled under weight unknown to me. Two flashes sped through the giant hole in the ceiling, one was red, and the other was black tinged with silver. I soon realized, as they landed, the two flashes were dragons. I stopped in my tracks, Arya holding my arm for support, as the red dragon jumped in front of us: It was Thorn, with Murtagh atop him. The black dragon jumped behind us, making us trapped. The black dragon was not Shruikan, for it was too small and it had a single, silver ring around its neck, legs, wings, and tail. Thorn still had scars from his previous encounter with Ellestygia. Thorn reacted quickly, and went to lunge for us.  
_Oh it's over_, I thought.  
Just as I finished thinking this a loud roar, followed by a blue flash diving through the hole in the ceiling, tackled Thorn away. Ellestygia replied to my thought, _Not while I'm here it's not._  
_You heard me?_  
_Amber,_ _I always hear your thoughts, even if you are thinking to yourself._  
I smiled at her, then realized Murtagh had been thrown from Thorn's back. Thorn's right hip was bleeding again, and while Thorn was immobilized the black dragon acted quickly and threw itself at Arya and I.  
_DUCK!_ yelled Ellestygia.  
I grabbed Arya, and pulled her to the floor with me as the dragon jumped over us. Ellestygia pivoted, and lashed her tail at the dragon, hitting in the chest. It was flung across the hallway, and hit the opposite wall, crumpling into a heap of black scales on the ground.  
_Get on!_ said Ellestygia.  
I pulled Arya across the room. Ellestygia crouched down, and I got on, puling Arya up behind me. I grabbed Ellestygia's neck spike, as she jumped into the air, escaping through the gapping hole in the ceiling.  
She took us miles from Urû'baen, but only to land feet from Tobascco and Christal.  
_How long did you think you could trick me for?_ said Ellestygia when I was dismounting her.  
"Shorter than that!" I said still frightened of what could've happened, "Tobascco, it's not even dark yet, why did you call her?"  
_Because I saw_ him_,_ she said.  
"Who, who did you see ,Tobascco?"  
_I saw the evil, back-stabbing, Rider-destroying, evil, evil, dark king!_ she said stomping her hoof into the ground at every adjective.  
My eyes widened along with Christal's, Arya's, and Ellestygia's, but I was the one to speak for all of us.  
"You saw _Galbatorix_!" I exclaimed in complete shock.  
_I-I-I think!_  
"You think, so did you see him or not!"  
_I-I-I know it was him, I could just sense it, now that you mention it, but I couldn't hardly see him because of the…_  
"'The'- what?"  
_Nothing!_ she snapped in alarm.  
We started to talk, then something came to my front thoughts, "Arya, who was that black dragon?"  
"Oh, just Galbatorix's new pets, Zoey and her dragon Cyindr."  
"Oh, wonderful, more evil competition, but how did Galbatorix get them?"  
"Well, Galbatorix was infuriated that...wait, you're the new Rider, aren't you!"  
"Yes, I've been trying to tell you that, that's how I got this sword, it's a Rider's sword, and that is my dragon, Ellestygia."  
_I'm so glad I can meet you now, Arya Drottningu, I've waited for a while to have the honor._  
"Pleased to meet you too, Ellestygia, but the honor is mine. I've personally have been wanting to meet the new Rider and Dragon for a while, too, and who knew it would be Amber, of all people?"  
"Hey," said a little offended.  
"Not in that way, Amber."  
"Can you please tell me more about that story of Zoey and Cyindr?"  
"Oh, yes, sorry, Galbatorix was infuriated that there was another Rider on our side, so he wanted one for his own, but it would be too hard to find a Rider without the dragon, so he found one already with a dragon: Zoey. There was one problem though, she lived in Teirm, and her parents hated Galbatorix, to him, they were a threat to his new plan, so, he got rid of them."  
"He killed them?" I asked.  
"Yes."  
Christal gave a small gasp.  
"Don't be so surprised, Christal, it's Galbatorix we're talking about, if people are in the way of his plan, he gets rid of them the easiest way."  
"Okay, back to the story."  
"Sorry, Arya."  
"He kept Zoey and, most importantly, her dragon alive, though, because Zoey had been asleep when he killed her family. She didn't know what her parents' worst enemy looked like though, and he told her someone else had killed them. Then told her he would now take care of her, so he took her, made her swear oaths of loyalty to him, unknowingly, and her dragon protectively followed, all the way to Urû'baen."  
"So Cyindr was full grown?"  
"No, she was still a baby, but she was different."  
"How did Galbatorix make Zoey swear oaths, unknowingly?"  
"He told her to repeat what he was saying, for her protection, but really they were unbreakable oaths of loyalty."  
"That's horrible!" I exclaimed, Christal nodded in agreement, or was it something different, she seemed to understand that kind of action.  
"That's a horribly great story," I said, "but we need to get going."  
I had a feeling I had just ruined Arya's sense-of-pride moment. We sorted out rides, Arya and I would ride Ellestygia considering she was strong enough now, while Christal would ride Tobascco. Then we would swap, so they could stay away from danger. So we set off for Ellesméra, and Ellestygia flew off in a pace in which Tobascco could keep up, which was fast, flying northwest.  
We flew through the night, myself and Arya falling into our waking dreams while Ellestygia kept watch. It was quiet until Ellestygia woke me softly,_ I think we should switch now, Amber._  
"Alright, then let me tell Tobascco."  
_Tobascco, you need to stop.  
Right.  
Ellestygia, you can land now, but do it softly.  
Alright._  
She started in a dive, and landed softly beside Tobascco. I quietly slid off her back onto the ground.  
_Amber, what are you doing!_  
"Keeping them safe, now obey Arya as you would me."  
I went over to Tobascco, and softly woke Christal. She was still in a kind of sleep-state when I told her to get on Ellestygia, so that I thought she didn't even know what she was doing. I jumped on Tobascco once Christal was on Ellestygia, and as Ellestygia took flight smoothly, Tobascco followed in a full gallop. I soon fell into my waking dreams after complete silence for at least thirty minutes.

Chapter XVI  
We Return to Ellesméra 

We only stopped once in the morning to let Ellestygia and Tobascco rest. Then, we were off again, Christal and I ridding Ellestygia and Arya riding Tobascco. About three hours later we came upon Du Weldenvarden, its tall trees beckoning.  
"Ellestygia, land, now," I shouted.  
Alright.  
Ellestygia dove toward the clearing where Tobascco had stopped. Christal, in her fear of diving on dragons, was squeezing my waist so tight that I could've turned around and slapped her arms, but I resisted. Ellestygia landed, her back feet touching first, then her front feet followed softly. I slid off her back.

"Nice landing," I said helping Christal off.

"'_Nice'_! she exclaimed, "that was _petrifying_!"  
"Home," I said taking a deep breath of fresh air, "but something seems different."  
"Maybe it's the fact that we're still in the forest!" said Christal sarcastically.  
"No, Christal," I said sarcastically.  
"Yes, I sense it too," said Arya walking up.  
"I don't like this come on!" I yelled swinging up onto Ellestygia's back.  
She flared her wings, jumped into the sky, and bent her wings slightly forward to gain speed. She flew fast toward Ellesméra, but not so fast that I couldn't see the beautiful sights there were to see. The first thing I saw was the beautiful, crystal clear mountain stream that Arya and I had swum in when we were young. Though what shocked me were all the trees that were snapped as if something had slammed straight into them, and when I looked closer I saw they were cover in globs of red, "BLOOD!" I yelped at Ellestygia.  
It was all over the trees that were snapped. Something had slammed into them, and either the thing that had slammed into them was already hurt, or was hurt when slamming into the trees. I soon ruled out the thing being hurt by the trees because the first tree had blood on it too.  
In seconds my vision jerked from the forest to the first tree-carved houses of Ellesméra that were whizzing by like dragons at full speed. Before I knew it we came upon the house where I lived with Islanzadi and Arya.  
"Ellestygia, land!" I said, but she was already in a dive.  
In a few minutes I saw through the trees we were diving through, there was a sapphire and red lump on the ground with numerous figures around it. As we landed I realized the lump was Saphira and the numerous figures were Eragon and some of the elves, that were standing around her. Ellestygia landed, and I jumped off her and ran toward Eragon.

"What's going on here?" I asked concerned.

Eragon turned to me, his eyes full of sadness, "Don't you see this?"

He pointed to Saphira. My mouth nearly fell open as I saw Saphira; She was lying in crouch position on the ground, her head resting on the ground and her eyes were shut.  
"What happened?" I asked again.  
Saphira touched my mind, _He needs help healing me_, she said softly.  
I looked at her again, and saw that the red stripes on her were gashes all over her body.  
"I do not!" exclaimed Eragon in defense.  
"_Eragon Bromsson_, do _not_ tell me you don't need help, just look at her!" I yelled at him.  
Saphira opened her big, beautiful sapphire eyes to look at Eragon, and as I looked into them I saw the normal joy and cheerfulness in them had turned to pain, discomfort, and hurt. My eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, Saphira."

She closed her eyes as if it were to much effort, and faintly let her head fall to the side.  
"_ERAGON_ do _something_! I yelled, " help me heal her or you're going to end up like Brom!"  
"Fine," he said heavily, giving in at the sound of his father's name.  
We both said "waíse heill", the same thing happened, and the blue, mist-like magic was now healing Saphira. I was talking to Eragon through my mind.

_I know who you are, Eragon, who you really are. _  
_What are you talking about?  
You mean he hasn't told you?  
__Who... hasn't told me... what?  
Never mind I'll tell you later._  
We finished the magic, and Saphira rose to her feet and flared her wings, I smiled at her grace and beauty.  
Amber, thank you for helping Eragon heal me.  
"And, Amber, what in the world were you talking about earlier?"  
"Let's just say, I found out who my father is."  
Saphira jerked her head back as if something had slapped her in the face.  
"What, Saphira?" asked Eragon.  
_Oh, Amber_, she said, _I know._  
"You do?"  
_Yes, now tell Eragon._  
"Eragon, you know how Brom always kept secrets from you?"  
"Yes, more than he should."  
"Well, he kept one secret from both of us; I'm his daughter."  
"Wow, that's… wait _WHAT_!"  
"I'm Brom's daughter."  
"Then you're my… my… sister!"  
"Yes, Eragon, I was surprised too."  
I told Eragon about how I found out we were siblings, and then told him about my two battles with Thorn. Just as I finished, Arya arrived with Christal, both sitting on Tobascco.  
"We're finally here because someone thought it would be funny to leave us in the middle of the forest!" said Christal.  
"It wasn't for fun it was an emergency!"  
Then, Ellestygia returned from her mission to go and get Islanzadí.  
"What's going on here?" asked Islanzadí  
"I for one, don't know what happened, ask Eragon."  
Eragon told us that he had gotten in a battle with Zoey in Cyindr.  
"So that's how Saphira got those gashes!" said Christal.  
"Well, no duh, how else would she get gashes that big!" I said, "But it doesn't seem right, how could Zoey and Cyindr get good enough to maul Saphira, in at least a week, I mean Thorn never even got that good over... well... never."  
_Yes, well it might not have been Cyindr, because I never saw any silver rings,_ said Saphira.  
"You mean you fought Shruikan!"  
_I believe so._  
"Whoa, that's incredible, did you see Galbatorix?"  
"Amber, think about it, if we fought Galbatorix, I mean I fought him, we'd be dead now, because I would've been killed," said Eragon.  
_I don't think so, Eragon, you are a great fighter_, said Saphira.  
"Quit bragging on me, Saphira."  
I'm telling the truth, you are a great Rider.  
"Well, if you don't mind my cutting in, but now that that's over, Amber, do you mind going and cleaning up, please, you're filthy," said Islanzadí.  
"Oh, no, not at all!" I said running up to the house Islanzadí, Arya, and I lived in. After taking a shower, brushing my hair, and putting on a new dress, I went outside to find Arya and Christal talking.  
"Hey, what's up?"  
"Oh, nothing," said Arya like she was hiding something.  
"What are you…"  
"Amber!" said Christal cutting me off, "can we see the egg?"  
"Yes, Amber, do show us the egg," said Arya sounding relived by Christal's interruption.  
"Oh, fine let me go get it."  
I walked over to Ellestygia, who was by the cloth pouch with the egg in it. Ellestygia growled at me.

_Amber, you're keeping something from me, and I don't know what or why you are, but I know you are.  
"_Alright, but I won't ever tell you, you won't like me for it."  
I ran back over to Christal and Arya. I took the egg out of the pouch, and as soon as I did rainbows shoot all over the place.  
"Wow it's beautiful!" exclaimed Christal.  
"It's not beautiful, it's gorgeous!" exclaimed Arya, "I've never seen anything like it!"  
"Where did you get it?" asked Christal.  
"In the treasury in Urû'baen, I thought I told you that."  
"Nope."  
"Well, now I have."  
_Sorry to interrupt, but I must go now,_ said Tobascco walking up to us.  
"Okay, thanks for all the help, Tobascco," I said.  
_Anytime_, she said.  
"Yes, thank you Tobascco," said Christal.  
"I am thankful as well," said Arya.  
_And thank you all for this wonderful adventure, but I'm sure it won't be the last one, especially with you, Amber._  
With that she turned and galloped off into Du Weldenvarden to return to her heard, that had been waiting for her return.


	11. Chapter 17 and 18

Chapter XVII  
Akarclio 

The day after Tobascco had left, I found Felvëra walking down one of the streets.

"Felvëra!" I called out.  
"Oh, Amber, I heard you were back, so nice to see you once more."  
"Nice to see you too, and I found out my sword's power."  
"And that is."  
"If you say adurna to it the blade freezes the water and puts ice at the tip of the blade, and if I touch it onto anything when it's frozen it will turn that to ice. It can also freeze things with five-inch thick ice, but the sword is the only thing that can break it and it shatters the ice as if it were a centimeter thick."  
"Amazing, I've never seen one like that, may I see it?"  
I handed Felvëra my sword, she looked at it her eyes content on its blade.  
"How do you activate it?"  
"Here I'll show you," I said taking my sword back and making the tip barely touching the ground, "_adurna_!"  
The blade froze midway down, then, a bright flash of ice-blue light illuminated the ground. This surprised me and Felvëra so much that we both were slipping and falling on the five-inch thick ice that was covering the whole ground.  
"See, even though I barely had it touching the ground, but it still froze five inches thick."  
"Well, can you…you know?"  
"Oh, yeah, right."

I slammed my sword's blade into the five-inch thick ice, and it shattered like glass."  
Felvëra stood up and brushed ice shards out of her blonde hair and her off her dress. She almost resembled Arya, but with blonde hair not black.  
"Well, never in my fifty years of making and discovering Rider's swords have I ever seen one like that!"  
I had almost forgotten that Felvëra was a lot older than she looked, she looked in her early twenties, but really she was at least one hundred years old.  
"And," she started again in a more serious tone, "getting serious, it is one of the legendary swords."  
"What! Amazing, my sword is legendary!"  
"Yes, even when I made that sword, never did I imagine it being the legendary Akarclio sword."  
"Akarclio?"  
"Yes, Akarclio, Ice Wonder's sword."  
"Amazing!'  
"Yes, also when you freeze large bodies of water, say a lake, when your enemies are chasing you, you can say light stop you and your dragon will go right through it, but they will crash into it like a brick wall."  
"And it won't break?"  
"No the ice won't break but for three things, and I think they will all be for your benefit. The first the sword, the second, you, the third, your dragon."  
"And nothing else?"  
"N… four things, the fourth being Brisingr -Eragon's sword- but only when it is lit."  
We talked about different things, then it hit me.

"Felvëra, you know how Brisingr reacts when Eragon says brisingr, what does mine react to?"  
"Yours reacts to two things, one-you have already learned that- _adurna_, the second, is used for magic blocks it is the phrase 'Akarclio set forth your winter's warp!' That is all."  
"Whoa that's…"  
A huge crack of thunder cut me off, and directed our attention to the giant ominous black clouds overhead.  
"Amber, come on, we must get out of here!"  
Felvëra grabbed my hand, and pulled me along toward her house. Just as we were five feet from the door an eerie flash of lightning struck the ground and me.  
I was immediately struck to the ground, but I only felt it for a second before the lightning took its toll and I was knocked out. The same darkness surrounded me on all sides. I soon saw a vision of Arilia.  
_Oh look it works, and quite well too._  
_What works?_ I asked getting a bit scared.  
_You know how when you sleep your heart rate slows?  
Yes, why do you care?  
Because, thanks to my curse, now whenever you sleep your heart will stop._  
I nearly gasped, but then I realized I had no reason to be scared of her curse.

_Ha! Your plan has one little flaw, I am an elf so I don't sleep, your curse won't work._  
_Oh did I say 'only when you sleep', she said in a taunting tone, Well your heart rate slows when you are knocked out too, so I guess I still win!_  
She gave a harsh laugh that reminded me of Durza's, but she stopped as a deafening roar cut her off. Then, with a scared expression she disappeared from my view.  
After she had gone I realized an unbearable pain in my chest. The pain was so intense that I could barely breathe, which is not normal for an elf, so naturally I was petrified. What was even worse is that I saw the same swirling blackness I saw when I was healing Friciey, then I realized I was breathing so softly I would stop soon.  
Just a few seconds later the same roar issued, but this time it was followed by a blinding silver light. The light illuminated the darkness, and returned me, slowly, to my body. As soon as I regained conciseness the first thing I felt was the pelting rain against my skin.

"Amber, please wake up, come on!" I heard Arya pleading.  
"Is she…" I heard Christal ask.  
"No," I was surprised when Felvëra interrupted, "she is breathing, very softly, but she is breathing."  
I slowly opened my eyes.  
"Amber!" Arya cried, throwing her arms around me.  
"What happened?" I said not remembering five minutes before the lightning struck me.  
"Well we were running to beat the storm when you got struck by lightning," said Felvëra.  
"Well, I know I'm Eragon's sister because we are both bad luck magnets," I said, then realized I probably shouldn't have.  
"Amber, you're Eragon's s…s….sister!" stammered Christal.  
"Yes, Christal, I am Eragon's sister."  
"How long have you known."  
"The past month or so."  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Well you were always near Ellestygia, and I didn't want her to know, at least not yet."  
"Why won't you tell her?"  
"Because she'll be way too protective of me."  
"You know you can't keep this from her forever, she'll fin out sooner or later, and when she does she won't be happy."  
"I know I can't."  
"Enough you two, we need to get inside before someone gets struck by lightning," said Arya.  
We went our separate ways, Felvëra went back to her house and Arya, Christal, and I went back to our house. We ate then went to bed, and I fell into my waking dreams very fast.

Chapter XVIII  
Secrets Are Confessed 

The next morning I found Ellestygia standing in front of Christal.  
"Hey, what's up?" I asked.  
"'_What's up_'!" yelled Christal, "I'm sure your life depends on near death experiences!"  
_I agree!_ said Ellestygia.  
"Amber, I don't want to know how many more times you will get by until you are killed!"  
"I know, I don't either, but I've been thinking about a lesson even I should learn. It's that you should never keep secrets from anyone because death can be a surprise and if you die with that secret you may be keeping a part of your life and someone else life from them."  
_That is a good lesson_, Amber, _but I think I might not get it right._  
Right then I knew fate had carried me to this moment, I knew what I must do.  
"Okay take Brom for example. He kept a secret from me and Eragon, in-which stayed secret because he died not telling us, until someone else told us, the secret that we are his children.  
It felt like a ten-minute pause as Ellestygia caught on.  
_AMBER!_ she yelled, _why did you keep it from me?_  
_Because you would be over-protective of me because I'm important being Eragon's sister._  
_You are important to me, Eragon's sister or not_, she said softly.  
_Thanks, but you don't have to lie._  
_It's not lying, it's just truth_, she said, _but anyway you told me, but who __told you?_  
_Arya, after I passed out the first time after we meet Christal, I saw a vision of her, and I was thinking about letting myself die because I thought I wasn't important then she told me._  
"Yes", came a voice, "and I'll don't regret it now, and probably never will."  
It was Arya.  
"Arya, I'll never forget you saving me from that horrible Shade."  
"_A SHADE_!" yelled Christal and Ellestygia together.  
"Yes, Arilia, Durza's sister," Arya and I said.  
"Durza's SISTER!" they yelled.  
"Yes."  
"Oh, _wonderful_," said Christal.  
"Okay, Christal, I need you to come with me, I have someone you need to meet.'  
"Who?"  
"You'll see."  
We soon arrived at our destination: Felvëra's house. Lucky for us it was an overcast day, and the long walk wasn't too terribly bad. I started to knock on the door.

"Felvëra!" I called.  
Felvëra soon appeared at the door wearing a torn and dirty work dress.  
"Amber, are you feeling better, and what brings you here?"  
"I feel a lot better, thanks, and I came because of her," I said dropping my voice low at the last part.  
"Oh, she's the newest Rider, let me guess she needs a sword?"  
"You got it."  
"Are you going to train her? You know my mother's rules."

"Yes, I will make sure I teach her everything."

Felvëra stepped closer to me then whispered in my ear,  
"She's the Rider, but where's her dragon?"  
"That's just it, she needs a sword even more because her dragon was killed, by Thorn, protecting us," I whispered back.  
"Oh dear that's horrible, what was his name?"  
"Friciey."  
"What was his color?"  
"Red-black mix."  
"Really?"  
"Yes."  
"Okay, I will make her a sword, but will you come in for a while, so I can get to know her?"  
"Sure, Christal, come in so you can meet Felvëra."  
Christal walked through the door after Felvëra, then I followed.  
We ended up talking for over an hour about several things, one of which was about Christal coming from Teirm. Then we heard what sounded like a miniature explosion.  
"What was that?" asked Christal in a scared tone.  
"I don't know, but let's go see," said Felvëra.  
We ran outside and the first thing I saw was Ellestygia's face.  
_Amber, no time to explain, get on!_  
"Christal, stay with Felvëra, don't follow!"  
"But, what if…"  
"Just stay here!" I said as Ellestygia left the ground.  
As soon as Ellestygia was in the air high enough I saw that it was Cyindr, with Zoey atop her, who had caused the explosion.  
_Ellestygia, you have an advantage, your fire, Cyindr is not old enough yet_, I said before I could think.  
_Amber it's not about age, it's about if they are one yet, I mean it was only months before we linked. For all we now she could be._  
_But think about Thorn and Saphira, Saphira waited months before she hatched for Eragon so she would know who she was hatching for, and by doing so she got closer to Eragon. Thorn hatched as soon as he chose Murtagh so he wasn't close to Murtagh when he hatched, unlike Saphira_, I said.

Ellestygia jerked to the side as Cyindr dove for her.

_See what I mean, if she could breathe fire she wouldn't have dove for you! _  
We evaded every dive they dealt, and they likewise with our dives. Finally, the two dragons dove at the same time, and collided with their front claws interlocked. A loud crack of thunder sounded the start of the pouring rain.  
Neither Ellestygia nor Cyindr would slack their grip they had on each other, no one was winning.

"_Kvistr_!" I commanded.  
Branches from all around Cyindr tightly wrapped themselves around Cyindr's four legs and neck, pulling her down to the tree tops. Before we could recover I heard a faint cry, "_Losna_!" from Zoey.

The branches holding Cyindr loosened and she gave a giant flap of her wings. She rammed right into Ellestygia's side, knocking us out of the sky. She hit the ground so hard I was, with much force, thrown from her back. I hit the ground as Ellestygia's tail and hind legs flipped over the front of her, putting her neck under pressure. When I stopped tumbling I saw that Ellestygia was stuck on her back her wings fully stretched out on either side of her. I knew she weighed to much to get up by herself, but as I ran to her I noticed her right side was bleeding. I got to her side, but I was hit in the side by a condensed orb of air. I was thrown my back ramming up against a tree. I fell to the ground, and saw Zoey walk toward me her red hair plastered to her neck by the pelting rain. She looked very eerie with her sword drawn, dirt all over her, and a cut from the branches that ran all the way down her arm.  
"Look who we have here, Amber, and her little helpless dragon," she said looking over to Ellestygia, who was desperately trying to get up.

Zoey started to talk on, but I wasn't listening to her, I was too busy whispering, "_Akarclio, set forth your winter's warp_."

I slowly slid the sword out of its sheath.  
"How do you know my name, _Zoey_?"  
"I happen to have the greatest dragon and Rider teachers, Murtagh and Thorn. Wait how do you know _my_ name?"  
"_I_ happen to have the greatest dragon and Rider teachers, Eragon and Saphira," I said mocking what she had said.  
She talked on, then all in one quick movement, before Zoey knew what was happening I got up and touched the tip of my sword to Zoey's boot. A blue line, that was darker than my sword, ran down the middle of the blade. The line was like a blue snake and in a slithering movement it went around her legs. Then the line turned to ice that blocked Zoey's legs, shins and down, in five-inch thick ice.  
"Now what were you saying?" I asked, as she franticly tried to free herself of the magical ice.  
"How did you do that?" she asked.  
"It's a little thing I like to call a real Rider's sword."  
I ran back to Ellestygia who was breathing heavily being crushed by her own weight. I used a spell to help her up on her feet, but as soon as she tried to stand her legs buckled and she fell down on her stomach.  
"Are you okay?"  
_I…I think I'll live_, she said.  
"Let me heal your leg, _waíse heill_!" I commanded.  
The blue light flashed and receded, and I let the magic go. Ellestygia rose to her feet without a sign of the chaos that was just there. Seeing that Ellestygia was okay, I walked back to Zoey who was still unsuccessfully trying to free herself.  
"That will never work, but this might," I said cutting Akarclio's blade into the ice. The ice shattered like glass, and before Zoey could move, "Malthinae!" I commanded.  
Zoey was bound in place by the magic, and couldn't do anything.  
"Let me guess, Murtagh is to good to teach counter spells."  
"Stop talking about him like that!"  
"_Make_ me." I probably shouldn't have said that because out of nowhere Cyindr jumped toward me. I was going to die if she hit me.  
Before Cyindr could even get close to me, there was a shrill whinny, and I saw what looked like a fire red horse with wings, covered in trailing flames. It flew right between Cyindr and me, catching the ground between us on fire. The flames rose in seconds to be about seventeen feet tall. The flames were like a wall and threw Cyindr back twenty feet. I stayed clear of the flaming horse, and Cyindr tried to fly above the wall of flames to get to her Rider. The flames just kept rising higher and Cyindr gave up. The flaming horse looked straight into my eyes.

_Amber?_ came a familiar conscious.  
"Tobascco is that you?"  
_Yes, and I know what you're thinking, but I'm what they call Burthro abr du Istalri._  
"That means you are born of the Flame, but why didn't you tell me?"  
_Well I didn't exactly know too well._  
"It's okay, I'm not mad at you."  
I then noticed that the flames on her were jumping off and returning to the fire wall, and Tobascco was returning to her normal strawberry-brown color, as her wings tucked into her sides disappearing.  
I turned to Zoey as the fire wall died out, "Eitha orono eka wilae taune onr lifa."  
Zoey looked at Cyindr with fear spread across her face, then ran full out to Cyindr and jumped on her back. Cyindr gave a huge flap of her wings and flew off as fast as she could, or so it seemed. Tobascco turned to me.  
_What did you tell her?_  
"I told her 'go or I will take your life'."  
_Amber,_ came a voice, _are they gone?_  
It was Ellestygia, and she still looked frightened and weak.  
"Yes, they're gone, but that wasn't the last we'll see of them I fear."  
_You are right they'll be back, but they are still… _started Tobascco.  
"Oh, my sweet Alagaësia, who was that!" yelled Christal cutting Tobascco off.  
"That was Zoey and Cyindr."  
"Where did they come from?"  
"Urû'baen, where else… wait Tobascco you said you couldn't see Galbatorix 'because of the...' did you mean…"  
_Yes, but I knocked Christal out so she still doesn't know._  
"Know what?" asked Christal sounding annoyed.  
"Know exactly what you shouldn't know."  
"What?"  
"Exactly."  
"Forget it ,Amber, now I was thinking about that egg and…"  
"Amber!" came a yell from behind me, it was Arya, "Amber, you have got to come quickly!"  
"What, what's wrong?"  
"Just come, quick!" she said running back toward to where we lived. I ran after her Ellestygia and Christal following in close pursuit.  
We ran through the house and up into my room. There was what had made Arya so frantic, the silver egg was hatching.


	12. Chapter 19 and 20

Chapter XIX  
Arnora, the Legend's Daughter

The egg wobbled and rocked for five minutes before something very odd happened. Instead of bursting open, the silver egg glowed silver so bright I couldn't see anything through it for several seconds. When the light receded, there, in the place of the egg, was a silver, baby dragon. The dragon looked like Ellestygia when she was a baby, but silver and the dragon was not sprawling on the floor. It just looked at us in a regal way, as if it were full grown, but in a baby's body.  
"Whoa, in all my years of seeing newborn dragons, have I ever seen one hold itself so well!" exclaimed Arya, impressed.  
"Wow it's so cute, but who's its Rider, no one was here, did you see anyone, Arya?" asked Christal.  
"No, no one is allowed in here besides us."  
"Well, it's not mine," I said, "only one dragon to a Rider, or rumor has it the Rider and the first dragon will die."  
"How's that?" asked Christal.  
"Well, like I said it's a rumor, but they say that the Rider's gedwëy ignasia will cross with the new one, and the Rider will be killed by the force of the magic overpowering the body."  
After getting yelled at by Arya for frightening Christal with a rumor, Christal reached out to touch the dragon. As soon as her hand reached the dragon's head a bright flash of light came between their contact, and Christal fell over on her back.  
"Christal!" Arya and I yelled together.  
"What just happened!" Arya yelled.  
"I think I know, but I don't want to believe it!" I said.  
I went over to Christal, who, in my relief, was breathing softly as if she was sleeping. I took her hand and something burnt my hand.  
"Ow!" I yelped in pain, "oh, my…"  
I couldn't get words to come out, I just looked at her palm. Her gedwëy ignasia was glowing bright silver, as if it had been remarked on her hand.  
"She has a second chance, let's hope she does it right," I said looking up at Arya.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Look," I said holding up her hand so Arya could see.  
"Amazing what baby dragons can do?"  
"You're right, but look at her color."  
"Yes, what about it?"  
"It reminds me of something, but I can't remember... Saphira!" I said remembering.  
"She reminds you of _Saphira_, might I ask _how_?"  
"Not Eragon's Saphira, Brom's Saphira."  
I explained everything to Arya about Saphira.  
At the end of my story Christal woke, looking around curiously.  
"_What in the sweet land of Alagaësia just happened_!" Christal exclaimed.  
The baby dragon was scared and back up and hit Arya's leg. She bent down and picked it up.  
"How could you scare this poor little creature?" she said stroking the dragon's head.  
"Wait I didn't mean to, sorry ,little dragon," she said taking the dragon from Arya. The dragon loosened, feeling more comfortable in its Rider's, little did the Rider know it.  
"So, did you find out who the Rider was?"  
"_Oh, yeah_," I said sarcastically.  
"Amber!" Arya whispered elbowing me in the side.  
"So who is it?" asked Christal.  
"That's for us to know an you to find out, come, let's take the little one outside," said Arya.  
Both Arya and I knew what would happen, but Christal would have to wait.  
When we got outside Felvëra met me at the door, "Ah, Amber, I'm almost done making the girl's sword."  
"That's wonderful, and Felvëra," I paused and made sure Christal and Arya were still walking, "what do you know about silver dragons?"  
"Well, they are legendary and very rare. Those dragons can save people even an inch from death, if they are close enough, and if a Rider's dragon sacrificed itself for the Rider they can replace the dragon without killing the Rider, why?"  
"Oh, no apparent reason just heard something, but what about Brom, his dragon Saphira died for him, yet she wasn't replaced?"  
"Oh, well I think that's something to ask Arya, not me."  
"Thanks again, Felvëra."  
We walked out to the forest and into a clearing. Christal put the dragon on the ground. It sniffed the grass, then took one look back at Christal and jumped into the air. It flapped its wings-that were twice the size of its body- and flew out of sight.  
"Where's it going!" asked Christal frantic.  
"Don't worry, it will come back."  
"How do you know that, Amber!"  
"I've had my experiences."  
"But what if…OW!" she yelped, "My hand feels like it's on fire!"  
I smiled.  
"It's not funny, it hurts!"  
"I'm not laughing at you."  
Then, a split second after I had said that a brilliant silver dragon landed smoothly in front of Christal, who recoiled in fear. The dragon looked identical to Brom's Saphira, her scales so brilliant they looked like diamonds, and her grace unexplainable for her age. I heard the dragon speak in a soft, female voice to Christal.  
_I am Arnora, your dragon_, she said to Christal.  
"_MY DRAGON_!"  
_Yes, I am your dragon._  
"But, that's impossible, I couldn't have two dragons! I'm going to die!"  
"Actually you could have two, and you're not going to die, Christal," I said.  
"And, you don't _have_ two dragons, she is a silver dragon, they are legendary, and can replace a Rider's dragon that has sacrificed itself for its Rider without killing the Rider," repeating what Felvëra had told me.  
"Christal, we need to show her to Islanzadí, so come," said Arya walking back toward the city.  
For some reason the whole way I thought of the Shade and her curse. How was I going to kill her, no had told me, not even, or ever, Eragon. He would always tell me about killing Durza, but never how he killed the Shade. He would only tell me he used Zar'roc, and he avenged Brom's death doing so. When I would ask he would always give me poor excuses like; "You're not ready to know." And "It's no use to you now." Or "I'll tell you when you are ready." It made me so mad, but one time I asked he surprised me by saying,  
"Fine, I'll give you one hint, it would kill anyone."  
At that time I thought _You have got to be kidding me!_, but now I knew there were only a few things that could kill _anyone_ and considering I already knew magic wouldn't work on Shades it made it easier. Not that Eragon helped.  
"Amber!" came Arya's voice, jolting me from my thoughts.  
"Huh?"  
"Christal should be out soon."  
"Oh, Arya, you know how silver dragons can replace a dragon?"  
"Yes, but how do you know that."  
"Felvëra told me, but how come Brom's Saphira wasn't replaced, she died willingly for him?"  
"I don't exactly know, but I think maybe Brom got revenge on Saphira by killing Morzan and his dragon."  
"You could be right, though I could ask the source myself."  
"You're right, you should've just asked Saphira instead of me."  
Christal soon walked out with Arnora in tow, and we went back to the house. As we were walking Christal stopped.  
"What is it, Christal?"  
"Uh…" she looked at Arnora who said something I couldn't hear," could you teach us?"  
"Sure, I mean what we didn't get to last time, but I might be limited on some knowledge," I said thinking once more of Shades.  
"Really! When do we start?"  
"By the looks of it," I looked at the setting sun," tomorrow. You can sleep with us, Christal."  
"Okay, but why?"  
"We want to keep this dragon _extremely_ safe."  
Once we were back to the house I introduced Ellestygia and Arnora. Ellestygia was happy she had someone of her kind to talk to, and Arnora was only a good three feet smaller than Ellestygia too. Christal and I got ready to sleep, and got in the beds, then Christal talked to me in a sad, but serious tone.  
"Amber, you are the only friend I had."  
"Really, I'm sorry."  
"No, don't, it's a good thing I guess, because I need to find the right person to be my friend. I could have gotten into deep trouble if I had made friends with the children in Teirm. The thought I was odd-and I guess that was a good thing- because I knew the truth about Galbatorix and what he was and is doing, so I hated him. So, my only friend was Jeod…"  
"Sorry to interrupt, but did you say_ Jeod_?"  
"Yes, he's our town's storyteller."  
"Jeod is… is a _storyteller_," I laughed.  
"Yes."  
"What does he speak of?"  
"You should figure that out, Amber, of coarse he talks about his adventures with your father- wow that is weird to say- and what Brom taught him about the Riders."  
"I know saying and hearing 'my' or 'your' father instead of Brom still feels weird to me."  
"Okay back to my story, one day I went to Jeod's house one day and he pushed a beautiful black and red stone into my hands and told me to take it with care and get out of Teirm quickly."  
"Let me guess that stone wasn't a stone."  
"Right almost every Rider seems to make that mistake, so I was stupid and when the dragon hatched I stayed in my house instead of getting out of Teirm like I should've. But as soon as the gedwëy ignasia was upon my palm I knew I could rebel against Galbatorix if I reached here or the Varden. I should've listened to Jeod's words carefully instead of being a stupid, ecstatic little girl. Then,..." she yawned, "Amber, can I tell you more tomorrow, I'm too tired to continue."  
"Sure, I'm tiered too."  
We stopped talking as the dragons-who also had been listening- curled up with their tails under their heads. I was frightened to sleep, but soon realized my waking dreams weren't exactly considered sleeping. Once I had fallen into my waking dreams I saw a silver dragon.  
_Amber?  
Saphira, I thought I wouldn't see you for a while!  
You can see me every night if you want to, I open my mind to family every night.  
You mean Eragon has seen you?  
Once or twice, yes, and Amber I know about the Shade's curse on you.  
You what!  
I know a lot of more thing about you than you do!  
Sorry.  
I wanted to talk about the new dragon.  
Arnora, she looks just like you!  
That's because she is a daughter of mine.  
I noticed and that's why she can hold herself so well at her age!  
I have a feeling you want to ask me something.  
Yes, I know that silver dragons can replace a dragon that has willingly died for their Rider, why weren't you?  
That is a good question, but you'll have to hear the whole thing first._  
Saphira told me the whole story of Brom fighting Morzan, then she kept up the same pace without any pauses as she came to the part of her getting killed. She did however look upset and disturbed. She did go into grave detail about it, and death sounded horrible. Once she was done she finished it up by answering my question.  
_It's the dragon's choice if it is to be replaced, I knew Brom would be better off with out me or another.  
So Galbatorix's first dragon didn't want him to have another.  
__Well there's choice and then there's the fact if the Rider deserves another dragon, as for Galbatorix,he was too reckless with his power of being a Rider or else his dragon would still be living._  
_But I thought dragons had armored undersides.  
We do, but not our chest or under our legs, so dragons can only be poisoned or killed with a blade of a Rider, other blades will bend and break.  
Thanks.  
That's not all you wanted to ask is it.  
No, you are smart, I wondered if you could tell me how to kill a Shade.  
Eragon hasn't told you!  
No, and he's being extremely stubborn about it too.  
I am truly sorry, but if Eragon thinks you don't need to know, then I can't tell you. However, I can give you a hint, it's not easy at all._  
_Thanks.  
Oh, morning dawns, I'm sorry, but I must go.  
Okay I'll try to talk to you again.  
I'll listen for you._

Chapter XX  
Eragon's Departure

I jolted awake, and as I sat up I saw Christal, Arnora, and-of coarse- Ellestygia were still asleep. So I grabbed up my royal blue dress and sword. I got dressed and quietly went out the door. I ran down to the forest that was painted purple with the barely rising sun. I ran into the forest and saw what I came for: Eragon and Saphira.  
"Eragon, I came as you asked, what is it?"  
"It's time."  
"Am I missing something or should I just ask, time for what?"  
_Time to help the Varden, little one._  
"We're going to the Varden!"  
"Not you, Amber, Saphira and I."  
"Why not me?"  
"Because you'd be killed."  
"Eragon, I am almost as strong as you and you would dare say that!"  
"The Varden need our help, a war is about to break out."  
"I don't care, I want to help you!"  
_Little one, I know you want to, but Eragon's right, you aren't strong enough yet._  
"Well, if you want to go, but know one thing you are going to be outnumbered, Eragon, and you too, Saphira."  
"_What_?" they said together.  
"There will be Murtagh, Thorn, Zoey, Cyindr, and Arilia."  
"Who?"  
"Arilia, the Shade, she's Durza's sister."  
"_What_!" they exclaimed together.  
Saphira growled and straightened her neck out, looking into my eyes.  
"Yes, a Shade, now who's going to be killed, unless they get HELP!"  
"You're kidding me."  
"No, I am most certainly not!"  
"Saphira, we need to go."  
"No! Eragon, you can't go, I'm begging you, don't go, it's suicide!"  
_I'm sorry, little one_, said Saphira to me only.  
She sounded like she didn't want to go now that she knew there was a Shade, and I couldn't blame her for what happened last time. Eragon jumped on Saphira's back, and she pushed off the ground into the sky. I watched until they were out of sight.

_Eragon, please be careful_, I thought.  
I soon felt lonely, so I went back toward the city where I meet Christal, Arnora, and Ellestygia.  
"What were you doing?" asked Christal.  
"Eragon left," I said irritably.  
"What! Where to?"  
"The Varden, for a war."  
"_A war_!" they all exclaimed.  
"Yes, but he said we weren't ready, but guess what we will be soon enough, in a few days."  
_Amber, you can't teach them everything in a few days, Eragon's training has been going on for almost three years, and he still has much to learn._  
_You're right, Ellestygia, I can't teach them _everything_, but I can teach them enough of what they need to know._  
"And, Ellestygia, look at me, Eragon has refused to teach me how to kill a Shade, but I'm willing to figure the clues and if I need let Nasuada tell me," I said getting mad at Ellestygia being negative all the time.  
"Really, what are the clues maybe we can figure them out," said Christal.  
"The clue from Eragon is 'it would kill anyone', the clue I figured out is that no magic would do it, and the clue from Brom's Saphira is that, 'it's not easy'."  
"Well, 'it's not easy', 'no magic' and 'it would kill anyone' only gives us one start, that would be that we don't have to use a complicated spell. 'It's not easy' just tells us it's going to be hard, and 'it would kill anyone' just confuses me not just one thing could kill anyone, there would be poison, stabbing a vital organ, or just plain old stabbing."  
"Don't worry too much about it, the Varden will surely tell us, and right now you have more important things to worry about," I said trying to remind her of her training.  
We went to train while Ellestygia flew off with Arnora to train their way.  
"Christal, Amber!" came a voice.  
"Felvëra!" I said, "What brings you here."  
"I finished Christal's S.W.O.R.D."  
"You did, can I see it?"  
"Sure," she said drawing the sword out of its sheath.  
The sword's blade was red and black, its hilt resembled Akarclio's but it was gold, and in the pommel was a shining ruby.  
"Whoa, the person who wields that blade is lucky," said Christal in amazement.  
"Well, Christal, I guess you're lucky today," I said.  
"What…you mean…!"  
"Yes, it is yours, Rider," said Felvëra.  
"_Really_! _No way_!"  
"Christal, calm down," I said.  
"Okay, thanks, Felvëra."  
"Don't worry about it, you need a Rider's sword if you want to be a Rider, and since you have been through enough you needn't worry about completing your training quite yet."  
"What?"  
"Christal, once a Rider completes their training they are presented with a sword matching their dragon's scales."  
"So, how did you get yours?"  
"I got it because Eragon was training me and my sword was smashed to pieces by Brisingr, Eragon's sword. And, he told Felvëra that I was worthy of a new sword, and now I know why."  
"Yes, Amber, Eragon told me that you should have a sword, and I was told that I should make the blade look close to your father's by a friend of mine."  
"So you made my blade look like Undbitr, didn't you?"  
"Yes, I did."  
"That means a lot to me, Felvëra, thanks, again."  
"I knew you would like it as soon as you figured it out."  
I told Felvëra I would take care of telling Christal more about the Rider's blades, and we went into the forest to train.  
"So, does my sword have a name?"  
"No, you'll have to wait."  
"Why?"  
"Rider's swords get their names from a power they, only, have or a battle they won, or what the Rider causes."  
"So, Zar'roc got its name because Morzan caused so much misery?"  
"Yes, how did you know that?"  
"I've done my share of research on the Riders."  
"Eragon told you, didn't he?"  
"Okay, fine, Eragon told me."  
"I knew that, but I guess you are wondering what my blade does right?"  
"Yes, will you show me?"  
"Of coarse."  
I showed Christal Akarclio's power and then we trained until the dragons got back.  
_This one has power_, Ellestygia said.  
_I bet._  
"Amber, look," Christal said.  
"Oh the sun's setting, well we shouldn't be here in the dark let's go."  
"Why?" asked Christal.  
"I've been in the forest when it's dark, and trust me, you don't want to be here."  
"Okay, let's go."  
We walked back to the city Ellestygia and Arnora following. By the time we got back the sun was just below the trees. We walked into the house as Ellestygia and Arnora went to hunt elsewhere. After we were done with our dinner of fruits and vegetables- elves don't eat meat- Ellestygia and Arnora were back. We went up to bed and I laid Akarclio beside my bed, as did Christal with her sword.  
I quickly fell into my waking dreams, until I remembered to talk with Saphira.  
_Saphira!_ I called out with my mind.  
_Yes?_ she replied appearing.  
_Saphira, Eragon left for the Varden this morning and still didn't tell me about the Shades. But I told him he would be outnumbered._  
_By who, may I ask?_  
_By Arilia, Murtagh, Thorn, Zoey, and Cyindr._  
_Don't worry they are strong, but Eragon and Saphira are stronger._  
_I know, I shouldn't worry, but I would be willing to fight with Eragon but he said I wasn't ready. _  
_He is just trying to protect you, you are the closest thing he has left of Brom, and he doesn't want to lose you too. Besides he is just acting like a good brother would._  
_I know, but he still has a weird way of showing it.  
It's hard to lose someone close, but it's even harder to leave someone you love.  
I would think, and that's exactly what I don't want is for me or Eragon to be alone. _  
_You will never be alone as long as you have people who love you, like Islanzadí, Arya, Christal, and most importantly Ellestygia. I know how much she loves you, that's why she is so protective of you._  
_I know she loves me, but I love her just as much and I don't want to lose her.  
I know you don't, but morning dawns and I must leave now._  
_Time flies, doesn't it, I'll talk to you later._

She left and once again I jolted awake. The sun had risen, and Christal, Arnora, and Ellestygia were nowhere to be seen.  
_Great where did they go! _I thought.  
I put on my emerald dress and belted on Akarclio, bolting out the door. Into the forest  
I ran to the place where I met Christal everyday, and sure enough they were there.  
"Why didn't you wake me?" I said.  
"Ellestygia told me not to wake you sense you woke up so early yesterday."  
"I guess it doesn't matter, so let's train."  
_Amber, do you think we should train Christal in the sky today?_ asked Ellestygia.  
_No maybe tomorrow.  
Well then, come young one,_ said Ellestygia to Arnora.  
They took off to where ever they trained, and I took Christal out of the clearing and into the forest.  
"Why here?"  
"Because, if we ever get into a battle in this forest or any other you need to know how to maneuver through the trees."  
"Oh, you are right."  
We trained by running through the trees and firing shots of magic at each other. I made a box of ice form around Christal.

"Oops."  
"_Oops_, get me out of here, it's freezing!"  
I went over and freed her with Akarclio, smashing the ice into tiny shards. Then, we practiced more spells, targeting them at the trees. I also taught Christal more spells, like _malthinae_, to hold or bind in place; _thrysta vindr_, compress the air; and _slytha_, sleep. To my surprise she pulled them off without the slightest sign of weakness.  
"Christal, that was amazing! You weren't even effected."  
"I know, I surprised myself!" she said laughing.  
"What do you want to d…"  
All of a sudden flames rose out of nowhere, surrounding us on all sides.  
"Tobascco, is that you?" I asked remembering her flames catching the ground on fire.  
"Not exactly," came a cold voice.  
Then, out of the flames, walked a Shade; It was Arilia. My heart was racing, but not like normal, it was like nothing I had ever felt it was light and fluttery. She spoke in a voice that would make even the strongest person feel weak.  
"Long it has been since we first meet, right, Rider?"  
It was weird she wasn't talking to me, but to Christal.  
"You…you…you _MURDERER_!" Christal yelled over the roaring flames.  
"Nice people were they?" Arilia said tauntingly.  
"How could you!"  
"I've done worse, Rider!"  
"They were minding their own business, and you killed them!"  
"Your parents were allies of the Varden, and you knew it too!" said Arilia in a tone of pleasure.  
I couldn't believe it-actually with Arilia I could-, but Arilia had murdered Christal's parents. Now I knew why Christal had fought off the Ra'zac, to avenge her parents' death.  
"It doesn't matter now, does it?" said Arilia harshly.  
"It does to me!" yelled Christal.

She drew her sword, and rushed at Arilia, but Arilia dodged her attack by disappearing.

"Where did she go?" asked Christal.

"I don't know, but...Watch out!" I yelled as Arilia appeared behind Christal.

Christal jumped out of the way right before Arilia swung her sword at her.

"_Thrysta vindr_!" yelled Christal.

I already knew this wasn't going to end well. The condensed orb of air shot from Christal's hand and at Arilia, but before the orb of air hit the Shade, she held her hand and the orb reversed, hitting Christal.

"Christal!" I called, but she had been knocked out.

"What a fuss over what I do," said Arilia.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, but I had no reason to.

"They stole our dark blue _stone_ from us, so we caught them, and got rid of them. They were working as allies for the Varden, and my king says one thing: 'Kill anyone who takes from us or gets in the way of our plans'."

"Soon your king won't be so all-powerful because people like me and Christal will always be there to mess with your plans. We are the great Dragon Riders, and we are here to help people in need. Your king has a need, a need to get off the throne!"

"How dare you," she hissed.

We ended up in a fight of clashing swords, and Arilia could over-power me, but with the advantage of Akarclio we were even. We clashed the swords together over and over, but no one was winning. I soon took a stumble Arilia made to bring my blade down on her shoulder, both of us had real shocked expressions across our faces. Arilia looked at me, a haunting smile spreading across her face, then she dissolved in thin air. After she had disappeared I collapsed to the ground. In seconds a pain that felt like someone pushing down on my chest as hard as they could surfaced to my body. The pressure soon changed to stabbing pains on my sides and my chest, and I was breathing very hard. Just as my vision was fading away I saw a blurred figure of Ellestygia flying toward me.

_Amber,_ she called, _Amber!_

Even after I had been knocked out, I still felt the same stabbing pains from before, but now, by the second, they were getting worse. They got worse until the pain was on the edge of _nothing_ I had ever felt. The pain escalated more and more, until I felt a light touch on my shoulder and the pain stopped. I was scared to turn around, but it couldn't be that bad unless I was dead. I told myself it would be fine, and turned around. There behind me was the best sight I had seen since Eragon left.

"_Brom_!" I said both confused and over-joyed.

I saw Brom, but he looked like Friciey had when Saphira took him.

"I thought I would _never_ see you until the day I die!"

He smiled and said, " I am ,and always will be, here for you."

"Why didn't you tell me I was your daughter? I was about to die because I didn't know."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be it isn't your fault."

"I was waiting for the right time to tell you and your brother, but that's not the full story."

It was awkward for him to say "your brother" instead of Eragon.

"So are you glad to be my daughter?"

"_GLAD_! It's _beyond_ description I'm so happy!"

He smiled at that. I wanted to tell him so bad, that I did.

"Have you heard I'm a Rider?"

"No, you are?"

"Yes," I said in the ancient language.

"What is her name?"

"Ellestygia, she would please you, she is protective and she loves me."

"What color?"

"She is a deep blue that is darker than Saphira."

"She sounds wonderful."

"She is, she is wise and loving."

"Really?"

"Yes, and guess what your son did."

"What did he do now?"

"He went to the Varden for a war, by himself...and Saphira."

"A war at the Varden, how many have they had now?"

"Two, and Ellesméra has had one too."

"Really."

"Yes, Eragon told me I couldn't come because I wasn't strong enough yet, but I told him he'd be out-numbered."

"By who?"

"New Riders and their dragons: Murtagh, Thorn, Zoey, and Cyindr. And the Shade Arilia, the one who did this to me."

"Murtagh, Morzan's boy?"

"Yes, he wasn't like Morzan, until he was captured by the Twins, and now he is a big, fat traitor, just like his father!"

"I see, can you tell me more?"

"No problem."

Then I told him the parts he had missed because of Durza and Eragon's stupidity and hardheadedness.

"Eragon succeeded in killing Durza then?"

"Yes, and his last words to Durza was that he killed him because of you."

"He listened to me then, not something he does too much."

I laughed, then remembered what I should ask.

"How do you kill a Shade, no one will tell me."

"Honestly, you don't know?"

"Honestly, Eragon is just like you," I joked, both of us laughing.

I said that since Eragon kept it from me, just as Brom had kept it from Eragon, until it was too late.

"There is only one way to kill a Shade..."

"What's that?"

"The only way you can kill a Shade is to stab them through the heart."

"NO WAY! That would be impossible!"

"It's hard, but quite possible, Eragon did it, and that's the only way."

"The _only_ way?"

"Yes."

"Well, it is easier than what I thought."

"What did you think?"

"I don't know, but I might have been thinking a complicated and strong spell. Then, I ruled out magic."

"They are very hard to kill for they protect themselves very well."

"Oh, _wonderful_!"

"I'm sure, together, you and Eragon can do it."

"I'm sure we will, and besides we are children of one of the greatest Dragon Riders."

"I wasn't that great of a Rider, after all she was..."

"Don't say it, that doesn't mean you weren't a good Rider, because you were, and don't say you weren't."

"You are unspeakably kind."

"Just like you."

We talked on until a bright flash a blue light illuminated the darkness around us. This time I didn't want to leave, but it was that or die. I was pulled back to conciseness once more. I opened my eyes, and found myself looking at Christal sitting next to me, her gedwëy ignasia glowing silver and Arnora next to her.

"See, Ellestygia, I did it once, so naturally I could do it again."

_I didn't want you to hurt her._

"'_Hurt me'_! Again, Ellestygia, if she hadn't I'd be dead. Thank you, Christal, you saved my life, _again_."

"Don't thank me, we are like sisters, I wouldn't just let you die. So, what happened?"

"Arilia and I got into a sword fight, and she slipped, and I brought my sword down on her shoulder and she disappeared."

"Did you kill her!"

"No."

"How do you know that?"

"Wait, I'll tell you if you listen."

"Okay."

"After I hit her, I guess, her curse took its toll, and I felt stabbing pains in my chest and sides, until I blacked out. Then, I saw Brom when I blacked out."

"_You saw Brom_!" they exclaimed together.

"Yes, and he told me how to kill a Shade."

"How?"

"You can't kill a Shade any other way, unless you stab them trough the heart."

"Really, that's all you do? That's simpler than we thought."

"He also told me they protect themselves very well."

"We knew it wasn't going to be easy."

"Right."

We soon left the forest due to hunger, and time. When we got to the house we washed up, then sat downstairs to eat dinner, Islanzadí and Arya already sitting down. As we ate I conversed about my day with them, they were surprised I had seen Brom. Despite the joy, Islanzadí looked as if something was bothering her the whole time.

"What's wrong?" I finally asked.

"The Varden sent us a message today."

"What is it about?" I asked frightened about its meaning.

"Eragon and Saphira have been severely injured."

"_What_!" I said aghast, my heart sinking.

"Yes, Arilia, I am sad to say, almost killed them."

I felt as if I had just taken a blow to my stomach and I felt sick.

"I...I...need to go," I said running upstairs to my room.

I pushed the door open with force, and buried my face into my bed. I let the stream of tears surface, running down my face and into the covers.

I cried until I thought they were gone, then, somehow, they were back anew. Soon I heard footsteps outside my door. I quickly pulled myself together and wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hand. Christal pushed the door open, and walked in Arnora behind her.

"It will be alright," she said putting a comforting arm on my shoulder, "I'm sorry about what happened to them."

"It's fine, I knew I shouldn't have let Eragon go with just Saphira, not that she isn't strong or anything."

"I know how you feel, someone you love being hurt or worse," she said her face sinking into sadness.

"I'm truly sorry...about your parents."

"Don't be, Arilia is a heartless seithr, and Galbatorix is no better, I want to kill them for what they have done to me and taken. I want to kill them and make it slow and _extremely_ painful."

For once I saw the very harsh side of Christal's emotions, and I could see she had suffered more than me. The loss of her dragon and her parents had surfaced into her emotions.

"We are leaving tomorrow," I said after a long pause.

"What?"

"We have to, the Varden need us if they are to defeat Murtagh, Zoey, Cyindr, and Thorn."

"Amber I know I sound like Ellestygia when I say this, but it is way to dangerous."

"I don't care I want revenge for what the Shade has done to us! Don't you, now get some sleep, we should leave early tomorrow."

"But..."

"I need sleep, so do you."

She laid down and we both fell asleep very fast.


	13. Chapter 21 and 22

Chapter xXI

The start of our journey

I woke up the next morning and realized I had forgotten to talk with Saphira. I woke Ellestygia, who apparently got there sometime after we fell asleep. She got up immediately after I woke her, and for the first time too. She was waking up slowly, complaining the whole time.

_Amber, I know you want to seek revenge on the Shade, but Christal is right it's too dangerous, _she said.

_Do you want Eragon and Saphira to DIE, because if the Varden lose they will be captured or killed! I know I SURELY do NOT want either to happen!_

_AMBER, I don't want either to happen too, but..._

_But- WHAT! I know it could mean my life, but I don't want my _brother_, Ellestygia, MY BOTHER, to die!_

_It would mean _our_ lives, Amber, OUR LIVES. We are linked together, and I don't want to die because my Rider is too foolish to understand how important she is to a WHOLE lot of people! You are just as foolish as a hatchling, trying to get adventure by risking its life unnecessarily! And can you imagine what Eragon would think if he knew you had been killed to save him, he would go CRAZY!_

_Well, at least, he would be alive!_

_Not for very long, he would die of insanity!_

_Can we _please_ STOP talking about this, we are going and that's FINAL!_

We went out of the house and walked toward the forest. Ellestygia didn't speak to me the whole time, not one word. I feared she would not talk to me ever, I couldn't blame her I had said horriblethings to her.

_Amber,_ she said.

My thoughts lightened.

_I am sorry, you are right I am too protective of you._

"No, don't say that, you just don't want me to get hurt, and that's because you are a great dragon. I'm sorry I yelled at you like that, it was wrong."

_I understand, you love Eragon very much, and don't want him to get hurt._

"I know this sounds wrong, really wrong, but you are more important to me than Eragon."

_Don't lie._

"It's not lying 'it's just truth'," I said, repeating what she had told me.

Soon we were at the clearing, and I got on Ellestygia, her hard scales under my legs. I felt horrible about leaving Christal, though it was for her own safety.

"Come on, let's go," I said feeling worse by the minute.

_Are you sure?_

"Yes," I said heavily.

At that Ellestygia let out a roar, and jumped into the air, her leg muscles moving under me. Her wings flapping with effort to keep in the air. She flew out of the forest, and I gave no back-look at Ellesméra.

We flew for hours before seeing the first signs of the great desert.

_Should we..._

_No, keep flying._  
She flew on for at least three hours before we stopped for the night. I swung of her back, landing in the golden sand. All I needed for a camp was Ellestygia and a fire, of which I had possession of both, kind of. I went out to find twigs, and after ten minutes or more I was unsuccessful.

_Need some help?_ asked Ellestygia.

"Yes, I guess."

She walked off for a while, then returned with a sapling in-between her sharp teeth. She sat it on the ground, then, with a sharp motion of her tail, she broke the sapling to splinters.

_Will that suffice?_

"You know it will."

I picked up some of the splintered wood, and put it together in a pile.

"_Brisingr_!" I commanded.

The fire flared up instantly at the sound of the word. Even being an elf magic still amazed me.

_Magic amazes me, considering I can only use it to an extent,_ commented Ellestygia.

"It does me too."

_You know you are very..._

"What?"

_Stubborn._

"Me, stubborn? And you aren't."

She made a sound that was in-between a growl and something else, I knew it was laughing.

_No, I think you have the most persistence I have seen yet_, she said crouching down, her back legs under her, and her front legs in-front of her. "Thanks, and I think you have the most strength and wisdom."

_Compared to Saphira? She is wiser than I and stronger._

"She is older than you."

_True._

Our subject somehow turned from that to about how we left Christal and us leaving her.

"That felt wrong, but she wasn't ready for this."

_And according to our training, neither was her dragon._

"But I thought you said 'she had power'?"

_I meant for her age._

"Oh. We need to sleep now, don't you think?"

_I agree...What was that!_

"What?" I asked getting scared.

_It must have been...a bird...or something, I don't know,good night ,young one._

"Good night, Ellestygia."

I fell into my waking dreams, and quickly contacted Saphira.

_Saphira!_I called.

_Yes,_ she said appearing before my eyes, _Why did you leave Christal and Arnora?_

_I felt they were not ready for such a challenge._

_That was a wise decision, you are becoming a good Rider. _

_My choice was good?_

_Yes, it was. If you thought them not to be ready, they weren't. Every Rider must learn when to choose safety over friends, and you chose right. Arnora may be my daughter, but she grows as a normal dragon does._

_Really?_

_Yes, Eragon has taught you well._

_Oh,_ I said felling the same punch-in-the-stomach feeling.

_What's wrong?_

_You know Eragon was almost killed right?_

_WHAT!_

_I thought you knew what happens around Alagaësia?_

_I do, but I can't sense death or injuries._

_So that's why you didn't know Brom was...killed, right?_

_Correct, I was worried that I couldn't even sense my own Rider's death, but no one can do that. Who did this to Eragon?_

_The Shade._

_You want revenge right?_

_Oh,yes I am proud to do so too._

_Good, sometimes, and I'm not saying it's good, but revenge is necessary._

_I understand._

As I pronounced the last letter, a surging pain entered my head. Saphira was whipped from my view.

Saphira was replaced by no other than Arilia.

_Ah, we meet again, Rider, _came her cold voice. _Do you like what I did to your dearest Eragon._

I couldn't even reply my head was throbbing so bad, but I wanted to kill her. If this was the battle and I had Akarclio, she would have its blade through her right now. It was pure deep loathing, complete loathing.

_You...you...you..._

_Go ahead, _ she said tauntingly.

_I...I...I can't_

_The same sane comment Eragon said, too weak to blow up at someone._

She left, probably because she had no more to say.

I woke again by pure shock and pain. It was so dark I couldn't see very far, so I knew it was at least a few hours past the middle of the night. Ellestygia was asleep, her side muscles expanding and contracting as she took in giant breaths, then let them out. I stared in wonder at her beauty, her scales were like a thousand shining deep sapphires. Then I averted my gaze to the dark sky. _Hang on, Eragon, I'll soon be by your side,_ I thought. I averted my gaze, once more, this time toward the Beor Mountains, and what I saw shocked me. The sky over the mountains was lighting up in bright flashes that came and went.

_They're still at war!_ I thought.

Ellestygia heard me, for she woke and rose to her feet.

_They're at war, still? _she said, following it with a roar.

_Stop it, do you want someone to hear you?_

_No, but...What was that!_

_Again?_

_This time I know I saw something._

_What do you..._

All my breath was taken away as excruciating pain erupted in the small of my back. I heard Ellestygia roar painfully as our link made us share the pain. Dots appeared before my eyes, and I knew no more.

Chapter xXII

The Shared pain

_W__here am I?_ I thought. I wanted to know where I was, but I was afraid of what I might find. The only thing I could remember was pain coming to my back and Ellestygia's roar as she shared my pain. I slowly opened my eyes, then was aware of the pain and the fact I was on my knees. The pain was harsh, my back was sore and throbbing, my mind was clouded so that I couldn't think straight. I knew I had been drugged to suppress mypowers and contact to Ellestygia. I still had no clue to where I was, nor could I contact Ellestygia for the drug. When I got up the courage to try and move I was blocked. I then realized my hands were tied above me to a single dark column that prevented me from moving even an inch. My feet were tied likewise to the column under my knees. I turned my head to look to my side, only to find a saddening sight. Ellestygia had been chained to a similar column, her legs, tail, neck, and wings, suppressed with heavy chains, and her mouth shut tight with a muzzle of metal. She met my gaze, her eyes full of sadness.

We both just sat there wondering what would happen. Soon I saw what frightened me the most, Arilia was walking out of a doorway and toward us. I struggled to try and free myself, but the ropes seemed to only get tighter.

"Ah, Rider, you are awake," came her voice. "Your dragon seemed to give under your pain, and she let me catch her once I had you."

"You will never win," I said.

"I beg to differ, you see, I have taken your sword and your dragon can't help, and can you even remember one word in the ancient language?"

"No," I said helplessly.

She chuckled, "No one can save you now, you foolishly left your _friend_, and I have disabled Eragon, so you can't be saved."

She had walked closer to me, so that we were face-to-face. Her eyes burned with blood-red joy. I couldn't even move my head away from her for the column behind me. For once I was _truly_ scared, even petrified at her. I wanted her to just do with me what she wanted and go away, but she stayed there looking at me. I glanced over to Ellestygia her face ridden with the same fear that jolted in me. She backed up some, and looked over to Ellestygia.

"Your curse is doing well, I presume."

"Actually, it is quite a feeble attempt."

"You listen to me," she said walking beck up to me.

Ellestygia growled and let lose a plume of smoke. Arilia took no care to her struggle to get lose.

"You may be stronger than usual people, but trust me, I posses power like my brother."

"So, not much."

She hissed and looked furiously at me.

"You want to test me? I like challenges, so let the pain begin."

_Barzûl! _I cursed in dwarvish._ How could I have been so stupid!_ I thought, _I just _asked _the Shade to hurt me!_

Arilia was muttering in the ancient language, something that was so fast I couldn't hear, but recognized. She was muttering the same spell Durza had used to poison Arya, and I was scared. I remembered what happened to Arya, and it was almost the same for me. I was bound with no way of escaping, while a Shade that wanted me dead was going to poison me. She walked to me, Ellestygia struggling harder than ever to free herself. The Shade was face-to-face with me again. I felt a a prick in the middle of my chest, and knew she had just poisoned me. The poison took effect so quickly I sunk to my knees, feeling weakened. My breathing quickened and I felt faint, but stayed conscious. Ellestygia was roaring and pulling with enough force to knock down a building. Arilia took no notice in her, but walked back from me.

As Ellestygia struggled the poison coursed through my body, my breathing slowing down, and the only thing I could do would be unwise. If I withdrew Arilia would capture me, but if I stayed conscious the poison would kill me. Ellestygia finally remembered her full power and ripped the metal muzzle from her face. She took one furious look at Arilia and sent a column of flame bursting from her opened jaws. Arilia put her hand out and the fire dissolved around her. Ellestygia tugged at the chains holding her legs, but couldn't prevail to get them off. She then lowered her head and pulled at the chain on her front leg with her teeth. The chain was too weak to withstand the crushing weight and was crushed to pieces by Ellestygia's ivory teeth. With one leg free Ellestygia knocked the other chains off her legs with one blow of her free leg.

Arilia -for the first time- looked scared as Ellestygia knocked free of the last chain that was binding her neck. Ellestygia rose to her full height, but could still do nothing about me. Arilia was there to prevent us from leaving, but Ellestygia had a more prevailing plan. She let out a blasting roar, to let Arilia know she would do anything. She then lunged at Arilia, but the Shade was too fast and dodged her. Hitting the Shade is not what Ellestygia had in mind, though. With the Shade out of the way she had a clear path to me, which she took note of.

_ Young one, can you hear me?_ Ellestygia said.

The drug had finally wore off, for I could think of words in the ancient language and could hear Ellestygia clearly.

_Yes, but what ever you plan to do, do it quickly, for I must withdraw if I want to live past tomorrow._

_I will do what I can._

I just sat there helpless and in much pain. Ellestygia carefully crannied her neck around, and with one careful motion broke the ropes that bound me. I bent forward on my hands and knees trembling. I didn't know what to do next, but I sat up and stared to rub my sore wrists. Ellestygia walked in front of me, acting like a full-body shield. I was getting weaker and weaker by the second, and it scared me too.

I soon fell over too weak to do anything, and as I did a conscious called out to me,

_Amber! _ it called.

_Amber!_

My vision was blurred, but I could still see things going on around me. A silver-colored blur crashed through the ceiling and I saw Arilia looked petrified at the sight of it. Something grabbed me up, but it was neither Ellestygia or the silver blur, it was a person. The person carried me to the silver blur and put me on top of it, only then did I notice the silver blur was a dragon. Arilia hadn't moved from when she had dodged Ellestygia, for she was frozen in fear.

I would've been scared, but two things held the fright back. Ellestygia wasn't in protection mode, and I was in so much pain I didn't care what happened. The silver dragon bounded into the sky and flew out the gapping hole it had made in the ceiling. I was slumped over part of the dragon's neck, with-what might have been- its Rider behind me.

The dragon flew on, but I realized I could safely withdraw now. When elves withdraw the are sort of in a coma, but don't wake until they feel the danger has past or they are safe. I withdrew darkness surrounding me.

The next thing I knew was my body was shaking violently and I couldn't control it, and I was hot, I had a horrible fever. Then, I felt a soft touch against my cheek and my body calmed down. I felt I was in comfort, so I relaxed.

I wouldn't know if Ellestygia was trying to contact me, for I closed my mind so I would not spend the energy I needed to stay alive. The only thing that could save me would be Tunivor's Nectar which was the only antidote, but the problem was it was only in the Varden or Ellesméra who had it and we were too far away from both.

I tried to remember how Arya had stayed alive long enough to reach the Varden, but Eragon had Murtagh and couldn't ride Saphira. I was alone with Ellestygia and another dragon and Rider, so we could get there faster. However, I needed to tell someone this, but I couldn't afford to use the energy needed to do that.

The next thing I knew is I felt better, my fever was gone, and -I guess- so was the poison. I was still weak, and couldn't be sure the poison was gone. Though I wasn't afraid of losing strength.

_Ellestygia, what happened?_

_Amber! The poison is gone, Br...you were healed! You can wake._

_Did they give me Tunivor's Nectar?_

_No, but the poison is gone!_

_It can't just be gone, sure I'll be fine for a while, but once we are at the Varden they need to give me Tunivor's Nectar to completely take the poison away._ _If I am not given Tunivor's Nectar the poison will just come back and kill me later._

_Then we must go to the Varden, now!_

_Wait for me to wake up, is it morning or night._

_It is early morning._

_Then I will wake in a few hours._

Again an interval of time passed before I knew anything else. The next thing I knew I was slowly opening my eyes. When I had them fully opened I saw Ellestygia looking down at me.

_You're awake!_

"Ye...ah," I said my voice trembling, "How long has it been since...you know?"

_You were like that for two weeks._

"_Two weeks_! It didn't seem _that_ long."

_It was._

"Who saved me? Tell me what happened."

_You know as much as...?_

"I remember getting on that silver dragon, but nothing else."

_It was Saphira who saved us._

"Saphira, Brom's Saphira?"

_Yes._

"But she wasn't alone, was she?"

_What are you saying, she was by herself._

"No, someone else was there, they were behind me on her back."

_Amber, she was alone!_

"When my body was shaking I felt someone touch my cheek. Wait! You said I was healed by 'Br...' Br..om, Ellestygia! Why didn't you tell me Brom was there!"

_He told me not to tell you, unless you figured it out. He also said you probably would figure it out, for you are a smart girl._

"Yes, because '_smart'_ girls get themselves captured by Shades."

_Anyway, you really want me to tell you what happened?_

"Go ahead."

_ We got here and you had already withdrawn, so we didn't know what to do. We waited for a few days then you started to shake like crazy. I was scared, but Brom said that you just had a fever._

"I did. I could fell it."

_But you weren't alright, your breathing became too labored or too slow. We were worried, and then we found the poison was spreading. I could see it too, it was all over your chest. Then, Saphira offered to heal you, with the help of Brom. They did, then had to leave, and now you are awake._

Again I was scared, I had been -once more- so close to death one more day and I would have been dead.

"Did Brom look like I had described?"

_Yes, like a ghost._

"Right, we need to get to the Varden as soon as possible, before the Shade almost kills me again."

_Grab your stuff and get on. Wait, put the saddle on me._

"Why?"

_Because, if the poison comes back, then I don't want you to fall off._

"Good idea, let me do it."

I held out my hand, my palm facing upward, then I said a few words in the ancient language. After I had said the words a brown orb was hovering over my palm. I made a quick motion to Ellestygia's back, and the brown orb streamed onto her back.

After I had done it pain erupted in my chest, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground.

_Amber!_

"I...I'm okay, we need to go _now_!" I said getting up.

I knew that it was the poison that did that to me, and I couldn't do heavy attempts at magic or sword fighting until I was completely healed. By the time I got on Ellestygia the sun was setting behind the Beor Mountains.


	14. Chapter 23 and 24

Chapter XXIII

Our journey continues

Ellestygia flew on and on toward the Varden at full speed for days without stopping. I insisted she rest, but she was determined to get me there as fast as she could. The thing was, I wouldn't sleep until she did, so she was even madder at me.

"Ellestygia, you need rest , and that's an _order_!" I yelled.

After all she had been flying for two days straight without stopping for one rest.

_Fine I'll land, but I will not sleep._

"That is all I ask," I said, but had something else in mind.

She landed and as soon as I jumped off her my plan begun.

"_Slytha_!" I commanded.

Ellestygia sunk into a crouch and laid her head on the ground, falling into magical sleep.

"Finally," I breathed, then I went to sleep.

My dreams were quite different this time.

_AMBER! c_ame a roar.

_Ellestygia?_

_Yes! _she growled.

_Why are you yelling?_

_I am yelling because I didn't want to sleep!_

_But you needed to!_

_I didn't want to!_

_I don't care you needed rest! End of story!_

She growled at me, probably because I was being equally as stubborn as she was. After I had heard her I only had dreams of the Varden and battle.

I awoke slowly to a roar, and air...blowing by my ears. Where was I? My legs felt like they were hanging over nothing. I opened my eyes, I was looking up at blurred royal blue color. I couldn't make out what it was that I was looking at. I then noticed what they were. They were scales, I was looking up at scales! I then realized I was looking at Ellestygia. I shifted to see what was under me, and I resented doing so as I turned over. I was looking down at the sky and the ground about a thousand feet below me. I carefully and quickly turned over to my back.

This time I fell into a straight up-and-down dive, my dark-brown hair flying up above me. I was falling to the ground below me, but before I fell too far a claw curved around my torso, holding me in place.

_Payback!_ Came Ellestygia's voice.

I couldn't believe it, Ellestygia had been flying with me in her claws!

"What do you think you were doing?" I yelled angered.

_Payback, really good payback!_ She said with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"You could've killed me!"

_I wouldn't have let you fall._

"Are you _crazy_!"

She held her claw up, so that her leg created a bridge to her back. I climbed on her back, just barely grabbing the front of the saddle before she yelled,

_Hold on! _She said pulling into a dive, only to have to pull up to dodge a rocky peak.

_What was that!_

"Welcome to the Varden, Ellestygia."

_How do you know this is the Varden?_

"You can't mistake those," I said pointing to the sky-breaking Beor Mountains.

"Era...I've heard many stories about how to get there, just find the Beartooth River...the waterfall."

Ellestygia dodged more rocky peaks as we got deeper into the mountains. She finally spotted an opening and dove into it. I heard crashing before I saw anything, then I saw what had been described to me so many times; The hidden passage to the Varden.

"Here, land here."

_I'm on it,_ she said speeding up her dive.

I gripped the saddle harder as she dove steeper and steeper. After five minutes of diving she landed right in front of the deep and wide river. The water was churning and rough, because of the towering waterfall that crashed down with enough force to crush a dragon. I swung off Ellestygia's back and onto the gray and black-pebbled bank. I looked down into the water's depths and in its reflection I saw Ellestygia get tackled by a red flash.

_It's Thorn! s_he yelled.

I then saw Murtagh jump off his dragon's back and walk to me. I turned and started to run toward the Varden's passageway, but Murtagh's voice stopped me.

"Don't try it," he said," the passage is sealed, they didn't open it, I would know."

He drew Zar'roc, its blade reflecting in the water. I had foolishly had left Akarclio strapped to Ellestygia's saddle, so I was left weaponless and without the strength I needed for magic.

I was foolish enough to try and run toward the now fighting Ellestygia.

"_Huildr_!" commanded Murtagh.

I felt as if a giant hand was wrapped around my torso, pinning my hands to my side and my legs together.

"Zoey told me what you said."

"So she told you I think you are a blinded traitor, bound by a mentally insane king!"

"How dare you!" he yelled coming at me with Zar'roc.

When he was close enough to me, that I wanted to punch him, he was distracted by Ellestygia mauling Thorn. As he turned Zar'roc's tip caught my side leaving a gash five inches long on my side. I got up enough courage to risk it.

"_Losna_!" I commanded.

Murtagh's spell faded and I fell to the ground, though Murtagh had not seen. I had one chance to do this, for Murtagh was about to direct magic toward Ellestygia.

"_Sverd...rísa eom...iet ignasia_!" I commanded now feeling weaker. The spell took slow effect, but I soon saw what I had done. Rising to me was not Akarclio, but Zar'roc. It was soon in my hand, and as my hand gripped the hilt I felt like I had lost someone dear to me. I was scared.

"Eragon!" I yelped foolishly aloud, knowing I had just felt him die.

Murtagh whipped around from looking at Ellestygia, only to look furious at the sight of _his_ sword in _my_ hand.

"What are you doing with my sword!"

"It's not '_yours' _Murtagh, it's your dead father's."

"I don't see a family with you, where are _your _siblings or _your_ father. Go back to where you came from, elf!"

"My sibling is dead, thanks to the likes of you. My father is dead because of Durza...figure it out, smart one!"

He look dumb-founded by my words, mumbling, "Durza...sibling...me?"

"Oh, _for the sake of Alagaësia_! Eragon was my brother!"

"Eragon! That means...your my sister!"

"Half-sister you idiot boy! Brom is my father!"

"B...Brom...the storyteller. Your crazy he _is_n't your father he _was _your father, he's dead," he said with laughter in his voice.

Now, I was really mad. If I wasn't as forgiving as I was right then, there would be no Murtagh or Thorn. Instead, -being an elf- with inhuman speed I got behind Murtagh slashing his back with Zar'roc, knocking the breath out of him. He fell to his knees in pain.

"Brom was the best Dragon Rider in history, and I know he's dead, it wouldn't take me that long to hear it for the first time by the likes of you! I won't be so forgiving next time, Murtagh Morzansson," I said plunging Zar'roc's blade upright in the bank, but out of Murtagh's reach.

I walked over to Ellestygia, who looked shocked standing by the gashed-up Thorn. Seeing his Rider fall, Thorn was just sitting there looking as shocked as Ellestygia.

"We...need to...go now," I said gasping from the sudden pain in my chest and my rib cage.

_Amber, are you okay? _Ellestygia asked.

"I...don't think so, but Eragon..."

_Don't worry about him, we will be there soon_

"But it's too late...there's nothing we can...do."

_Amber,_ she said softly, lowering her head to my eye-level, _you are hurt, your head is not calm, you could've thought anything._

"But..."

_Leave it,_ she growled.

"I...need help...getting on."

_Don't worry, grab behind my head._

I grabbed her neck in-between her two giant white horns.

"Okay."

_Hold tight._

She lifted her neck, lifting me into the air. She curved her neck around so that my feet were touching her saddle. She lowered me down into the saddle and I tightened the straps around my legs, so that I wouldn't fall off. Now the pain was so harsh I could barely breathe and my chest felt like it was splitting. The pain the poison had caused me was colliding with the pain from Zar'roc, so I had no chance of getting out of that unharmed. Ellestygia went to go into the waterfall when I remembered.

"Wait!"

She stopped, _What is it?_

"Aí varden abr du Shur'tugalar gata vanta!" I called, nothing happened.

"Aí varden abr du Shur'tugalar gata vanta!" I yelled louder.

A low rumble issued as the ground shook, now the Varden had heard us.

"Hurry...,Ellestygia,...the...Varden..."

I couldn't say anymore, for I was on the edge of passing out from the escalated pain.

_Amber! _Ellestygia roared and pushed off the ground with her back legs.

She gave a huge thrust forward with her wings, crashing right through the powerful wall of water, soaking us both. She landed on a stone floor, her claws clicking. We were finally in the Varden.

Looking to Ellestygia's side I saw that there were armed me with swords drawn, pointing them at us.

"What is it...Don't hurt them, or you will have me to answer to!" came a familiar voice.

_I am obliged to be respectful, but respect can wait, my Rider is going to die if she isn't tended to this instant!_ Ellestygia said.

"If you are friend, not foe."

_We are friends_, Ellestygia said in the ancient language.

"Very well, take her down that hall, tell our healers what to give her."

_Thank you very much._

Ellestygiawalked down the hall, her claws clicking on the stone floor. I was passing in and out of conciseness, until Ellestygia turned into a doorway. There were at least four or five Varden members standing around. I could barely breathe now, and my heart felt light and fluttery as the poison took effect again. I heard Ellestygia's hurried words.

_She was poisoned by a Shade, and hit with a Rider's blade. She needs Tunivor's Nectar. Lady Nasuada sent us._

"We know, but thank you, kind dragon," said one of the women.

"Yes, let her down, we will do our best," said one of the men.

I felt how reluctant Ellestygia was to give me over, but I encouraged her by letting my pain link with her. She crouched down and with the help of the healers I was unstrapped from the saddle, and the healers laid me on a soft bed. The scar Durza had given me was now searing with evil happiness at my pain. Ellestygia looked hurt, but stayed crouched on the ground.

"You will be fine, don't worry, just relax," said one of the other women.

That was easy for her to say "relax" ,she didn't have _three_ extremely dangerous and extremely painful wounds.

"She's not going to relax, Terra, she's hurting, _bad_."

"Yes, just do this, _slytha_."

Some of the pain receded as I was sent into magical sleep.

_Wait_, I thought,_ magical sleep!_

As soon as I thought this pain -that was worse than the pain I had escaped- made me feel twice as horrible. I knew it was Arilia's curse. My chest was splitting in pain. My breathing quickened and my heart was beating so hard and fast I could hear thumping in my ears. My chest was heaving as I took in rasping breaths, I didn't know how long I could take this. I was going to die if no one woke me.

_Amber! _someone yelled.

_Amber! Amber, you have to wake up!_

_I can't! It's magical!_

_Try, think of something, or it will kill you!_

_Vankna! _I thought, nothing happened.

_Amber! Something, _this time the voice was softer as if it were going away.

I knew it was me that was fading.

_Something, anything!_

_VANKNA! _I thought harder than ever.

The pain receded and I found myself looking up at a stone ceiling. I was safe now, I sat up.

_Amber!_ came Ellestygia's voice, _you're awake!_

"Thank you."

_What?_

"Thank you for being so protective, I would've died if not for you."

_You're welcome, but don't thank me, thank Nasuada._

"Nasuada, what are you talking about?"

_What are _you_ talking about?_

"I'm talking about how I was almost killed when they forced me to sleep, Arilia's curse."

_What! You looked as if you were calm, and I've seen you when her curse is in effect, it wasn't like that._

_Maybe I was dreaming it,_ I thought.

"Anyway, where are the healers?"

_They had business to attend to, Eragon._

I felt bad once more, I think the poison had messed with my feelings.

"Is he..."

_NO! He wouldn't leave you!_

I sighed in relief, something that had been troubling me since our battle with Murtagh.

"I need to talk to Nasuada, we..." a roar cut me off.

"That came from the tunnels, come on!" I said jumping onto her saddle, tightening the straps around my legs.

She walked out of the room, and once we were out she jumped into the air, gave a huge thrust forward, and flew toward the waterfall.

Ellestygia stopped at the edge of the tunnel, her claws curved around the drop off of stone.

"What is it?"

_You will not go out there again unarmed, grab Akarclio._

"Okay I have it."

_Are you ready?_

"Yes."

As soon as the "s" came from my mouth, Ellestygia launched through the crashing water. Her scales looked even more beautiful under the blanket of water making them shine brighter. Akarclio's blade was shining under the water as well. Again my whole body was soaked with the water, but I was not worried about that, I was worried at what I saw.

Thorn was fighting another dragon, it was silver.

"Arnora!" I yelled to Ellestygia, "What's she doing here?"

_I don't know._

"Go help her!"

_I don't think they need it, look._

Now I saw it, Arnora had just pushed Thorn into the ground with a shower of gray and black pebbles. Now I saw Christal sitting on Arnora's back, her new sword gleaming in the setting sun's rays. Thorn got up right away and flew, very fast, toward Arnora. He rammed, full speed, into Arnora's shoulder. I heard a screech of pain from a dragon, but it wasn't Arnora, it was Thorn. Thorn was gashed in the side, looking frightened, and flew away.

Arnora flew down, landing on the bank of pebbles, in front of us.

"_What_ were you thinking, Christal! You could've gotten...Arya!"

Arya had leaned around Christal to look at me.

"Did you think you could just leave us out of the battle?" asked Arya.

"Uh...no...um...I don't know!"

"You left us, why?" asked Christal.

"I didn't want you to get hurt, or you," I said referring to Christal and Arnora.

"Thanks."

"No, but it doesn't look as if you can't fight."

_Yes, that was a great fight, young one,_ said Ellestygia.

"Yes, Arnora, you fought Thorn better than we did."

"Why, what happened to you?" asked Christal.

I shifted awkwardly and told Christal and Arya what had happened to me since I left. I told Arya how I hadn't known what it felt like -getting poisoned- until I had felt it myself. She felt sympathy to me as well. Christal was just there, saddened and mad at me for doing this adventure foolishly without her.

My story came to an end at just when I saw them. I had even told them about the voice I didn't yet know.

_Amber, Nasuada might be angry or frightened if we don't return to the Varden._

"Fine. Christal, we need to get back to the Varden."

"So, I am finally going to see the Varden, what I have been dreaming about since Jeod started telling me stories," said Christal.

"Wait, I thought Jeod came back to the Varden...or was it Surda. Still he was brought over on that ship Eragon's cousin brought from Carvahall, wasn't he?" asked Arya.

"Yes, you mean Roran, but Jeod said he need Teirm and he left."

Ellestygia and Arnora pushed off the ground, crashing through the waterfall, and again, drenching us. They landed in perfect unison on the stone floor with a _click_. I wiped the water out of my eyes, to see Nasuada standing there as if she was waiting for us.

Chapter xXIV

Our Talk of war

"Good to see you awake, Amber."

"Thank you, Lady Nasuada."

"Who might this be, though?"

"This is Christal and her dragon Arnora."

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Nasuada," Christal said.

_I have waited many years to have such an honor, Lady Nasuada_, said Arnora.

"The pleasure is mine, Arnora, but you are different."

_I am a silver dragon, a legend, here to replace my Rider's loss._

"I see, we must protect her in battle."

"I thought you were already in battle, if you weren't, then, what was that flashing?" I asked.

"Our spellcasters haven't used much magic since Feinster, so they needed training."

"That explains things."

"Yes, but I am afraid we have only days until a war erupts."

"Speaking of war, Arya, I have something I need to ask you, alone."

"Okay," she walked over to me, away from Nasuada and Christal, "What is it?" she whispered.

"I was battling Murtagh yesterday and I left Akarclio on Ellestygia's saddle, so I tried to get it back by magic. When the spell took effect Zar'roc was the one who came to me, when I touched the pommel I felt a since of loss, and I thought that Eragon..."

_She thought Eragon had died_, Ellestygia said walking up to us.

"Yes, I did, it was horrible."

"That is the first time, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"You felt Manin Dauth, Death Memory. You can feel it when you lose someone dear to you, but it is rare to magic users. I don't know how..."

"Brom."

"I should have remembered, though I was barely conscious, you witnessed Brom's death, so you could remember the feeling."

"But only when I touched Zar'roc?"

"I know I sound weird saying this, but Zar'roc witnessed Brom's death too. Zar'roc means misery, so naturally it would bring misery any way it could, that's why you felt Manin Dauth."

"Why haven't I felt it in Eragon and Saphira?"

"There are two reasons, one, they are full of hope and joy now, so it would not come easily to them. The other, you haven't been with them enough since you found out Brom was your father."

"Oh," I said downcast.

"I'm sorry, that's just the truth.'

"No, it's fine, that was very important to me."

"You're welcome, and, Amber, don't worry, Eragon and Saphira will be fine."

"Amber," Nasuada said. "I'm sorry to interrupt."

"It's fine, we were done."

"You and Christal must get fitted for your armor, and Arya you must consult with the dwarves for yours."

"Fair enough, as long as they don't try and talk about their _myth_ gods."

"They would not."

Arya went off through one of the tunnels toward Farthen Dûr.

Nasuada turned to Christal and I.

"Outside, you will need to find the woman in the silver dress. I will lead you as far as the gates of Farthen Dûr, then you must go on your own. She will fit you for your armor, and take your dragons with you."

"Thank you, Lady Nasuada," I said.

"Please, Amber, you act as if I wasn't a good friend of your father, just call me Nasuada. And there is no thanks necessary, you need to be protected in battle."

"We'll see you soon,then?"

"Yes, but like I said I can lead you to the gates. After that I have business to attend to."

"It's alright, you are just being a good leader to the Varden."

"Thank you, I am just trying to be as good as my father."

"You're doing a good job at it too."

With that Nasuada lead us through the corridors. We walked down the torch-lit corridors, until we met two giant oaken doors. Nasuada pushed them open, letting the blinding rays of the sun rush into the corridor. The light blinded me for a few seconds, then, the light receded and I saw the city of Farthen Dûr. The city was nestled in a crater-like hole in the mountain, surrounded on all sides by the towering walls of the mountain.

There were cave-like carved holes in the wall where the dragons and Riders would have rested hundreds of years earlier. I also saw the houses, and the battlements ready for war.

The city was like magic, but I knew it wasn't, the dwarves had an ongoing feud with the elves for multiple reasons.

"I'm sorry, I must go now," said Nasuada, "do you think you can fare well on your own."

"We'll be fine ,go, you mustn't be late."

"Yes, thank you, after you are done, you can go enjoy the city for a few hours, and I would be happy to invite you to come dine with me later. Just ask the fitter to tell you where your rooms are, so you may clean up before hand."

"Thank you, it would be an honor."

"Then I will be expecting you!" Nasuada called as she walked back through the doors.

I looked around, marveling the city's beauty, then turned to Christal.

"Come, we must find the fitter."

We started to walk, but the crowds of people and dwarves made it hard to find just one person.

_Amber, there she is!_ said Ellestygia.

I followed her gaze to see a woman of later age in a silver dress. I started to walk to her Arnora, Ellestygia, and Christal following.

"Excuse me," I said politely, "Lady Nasuada sent us to get fitted for our armor."

"Oh!" the woman said turning from her talk with her friends, "What a _pleasure_ to have Riders sent to me!"

Christal and I smiled awkwardly and nodded.

She lead us into a small hut. The interior looked like ghastly, with all sorts of weapons hung everywhere.

"Over here...I need you," she said pointing to me.

I awkwardly walked to her, "What do you want me to do?"

"Stand there...Yes, there."

She rummaged through a trunk before pulling out a thick rope with marks on it.

"What is that?" I asked curious.

"For measuring, child!" she snapped.

"Chi -ow!" I said Christal elbowing me in the side to shut it.

We both had looks across our faces that said we were thinking, _How could someone seem so nice, then, turn out so harsh?_

The woman measured me in various places, round my torso, shoulders, arms, thighs, and legs. She did this marking on parchment as she went along. Once she was done with me, she did Christal the same way. After that she went out, with Christal and I, to measure the dragons.

_Don't ask ant questions, Ellestygia._

_Why?_

_Didn't I just say not to ask questions?_

_Fine._

I heard the woman's voice, "_Se ono moi eom aí vöndr_!" she commanded, but nothing happened.

She repeated the magic words, but nothing happened. I finally got angry and said the words myself.

"_Se ono moi eom aí vöndr_!" I yelled.

The rope rose into the air, straightened, and turned wood-brown.

"Well," she said angered, "I guess I underestimated you."

"I guess you di... OW!" I said, Christal had elbowed me again to shut it.

The rope had turned into a stick with the sound of the magic.

"_Rísa_!" she commanded, and again nothing happened.

"UGH, _RíSA_!" I yelled before she could try again.

Once she measured the dragons -who gave her a lot of growls as she hit Ellestygia across the head-she told us to follow her. We did so reluctantly, then she told us where our rooms were.

"They are up there, I can't reach them, but I'm sure your _fethrblaka _creatures can."

It wasn't the word that angered me -though it highly contributed to my anger-, no, it was her tone of disgust as she talked of our dragons. I was angered, but tried to understand, okay, I didn't handle it well.

"OUR WHAT!" I yelled.

_What did she call us! _Ellestygia said.

"Oh, did I say a wrong word?" she said tauntingly.

"Yes, I think you called them 'fethrblaka creatures' or bird creatures," I said, this time, trying to understand.

"I didn't say I did not mean to say it."

I could have hit that woman, then Ellestygia growled so loud it came more like a roar. The woman backed away.

_I see, brave in words, but weak at heart,_ Ellestygia said.

_Let us go,_ I told Christal with my mind.

_Good idea._

We walked past the woman, the dragons giving her harsh we were past her Christal asked "Why was it a big deal to call them "bird creatures."

"They are like birds," she added.

_I would sooner be called an over-grown lizard with wings, than be associated with a bird,_ Ellestygia said to Christal, getting agitated.

"Sorry, Ellestygia," Christal apologized.

"Come on, were wasting time," I said," I haven't ever seen the Varden, and this might be our only time to."

"Oh, sorry, Amber," said Christal.

We walked through Farthen Dûr admiring the beautiful city. The people and dwarves alike were looking at us, watching us. Children ran around us and some looked admiringly at the dragons. I was having a good time and I was happy, Ellestygia seemed it too. She was finally relaxed and not so tense, I guess because she felt I was safe.

After walking around for a long while, the sun was now setting.

"Christal, Nasuada wanted us there at sundown, we should go."

"Alright, the dragons should go up in the rooms."

"Right, but they should take us there, it easier to get to the feast room from there."

"Okay, let's go."

We walked back toward where we came, then we found that the woman was still there. I got on Ellestygia as Christal got on Arnora. Ellestygia flared her wings, I could have sworn she tried to hit that woman, and took off Arnora following. The dragons flew into the dragonholds and landed.

_That woman was very, _very _rude! _said Ellestygia once Christal had left for her room.

"I agree, that was unacceptable!I could have slapped that woman, but I don't think Nasuada would have been happy if I did."

The rest of the time I was dressing I didn't speak, but after I had put on the golden cloth outfit and knee-high boots I talked.

"Ellestygia."

_Yes?_

"I was thinking, and I am scared to be fighting Arilia, I mean look at what she did to Eragon and Saphira. We aren't as powerful as them and even they didn't come out of her grasp unharmed."

_I know how you feel, young one, I am scared of having to fight a sundablaka, so I guess we are on the same page._

"I guess so."

"Amber," came a call from the door.

It was a girl I did not recognize at all. She had her dirty-blonde hair pulled back in a tight bun, a long silver dress, and a face clean of dirt.

"Christal?" I asked dumb-founded.

"Yes, how did you think I was?" she said.

"I don't...know...uh...wow you look great, what did you do?"

"All I did was shower and put on a new dress, oh, and I did my hair."

"You look...great."

She smiled, "Thanks. Nasuada's messenger said Nasuada said to bring Akarclio."

"Okay, Good-bye ,Ellestygia, I will see you when we get back."

_Good-bye, young one, be careful._

We left, the messenger leading us. The messenger was a young girl with silky black hair and green eyes. She looked like a really, _really _young Arya, but without the elvish features. She lead us down an unending dwarf-made tunnel until we got to two broad oaken doors.

"Our leader will see you now," she said.

"Thank you, you were most helpful."

The girl blushed.

Christal and I pushed the doors open and walked in. Nasuada was sitting at the far front of a long, rectangular wooden table, her guards were sitting on either side of her. There were high placed soldiers, archers, and civilians of the Varden sitting along the table, with only two seats on either side of Nasuada where there was space between her and her guards.

"Amber, Christal, you are just in time, dinner is about to begin, and, Amber."

"Yes."

"Do you mind eating meat?"

"Oh,no, not at all. I am about the only elf that eats meat."

"Good. You may leave Krissi," Nasuada said to the messenger girl.

At that a few people came out of doors in the back of the room carrying plates topped with all assortments of food. The bearers set the plates down in the middle of the table.

We soon ate the fruits, meat, and drank some of the finest wine.

"Amber, I need to talk to you and Christal," said Nasuada after the plates had been cleared away, "alone."

There was much scrabbling as the Varden members jumped out of their chairs and scrambled out of the room.

"They're quick to obey," said Christal.

"They obey me as they did my father," Nasuada said.

"I don't blame them, you are a great leader," I said.

"Thanks, but I have important things to tell you," she said dropping her voice lower as she added the last part," about the battle."

"Oh," said Christal and I together.

"As you know, we are days from another fierce battle with the Empire. We already have lost one dragon and Rider..."

"WHAT!" I cried.

"It is not like you think, Amber, they are not dead, nor are they far from it. However, we will not let them die."

"Then what did you mean by 'lost?'"

"I meant they can't battle, in this one anyway. Since Eragon and Saphira can't fight, the war rests in your and your dragons' hands."

"That's _just_ what we wanted to hear," exclaimed Christal, "that the fate of the whole Empire rebellion rests in ours and our dragons' hands!"

Nasuada continued calmly, "It actually rests in Amber and Ellestygia's hands more than yours, Christal."

"WHAT!"

Nasuada took kindly and calmly to interruptions and continued once more.

"I'm truly sorry, Amber, but the Shade does have a thing for your death. And you also -no offense, Christal- do have more experience than Christal."

"How do you know _that_?" I asked.

"Ellestygia came to see me last night."

"She really needs to stop roaming places at night without me."

"Yes, back to what I was saying, Christal and Arnora will fight the Riders and their dragons, and you and Ellestygia will fight the Shade and her sundablaka if there is one. Now we are hoping only Zoey and Cyindr will come, and that Galbatorix, with his knowledge of Eragon and Saphira's absences, doesn't choose this battle to show up. For if he does -and I don't mean to be negative- we will all perish."

"Way to be optimistic, Nasuada!" I said seeing Christal's horror-struck face.

"I'm sorry, but I was only stating the truth and..."

At that moment the oak doors burst wide open, and in ran the armor fitter her face in unexplainable fear.

"The Shade was spotted at the foot of the mountains!"


	15. Chapter 25

Chapter XXV

The Battle of Destiny

"What!" exclaimed Nasuada, Christal, and I at the same time jumping out of our chairs.

"T...the Shade was spotted,by our sentries, with the whole army at the transition from the desert to the mountains! We're doomed if our fate lies in _their_ hands!" she said.

"Excu..." I stared.

"Marie, calm down!" Nasuada yelled.

"That was the bad news, but I also come barring good news."

"Well, what is it?" Nasuada asked urging her on.

"I have made the Rider's and their dragons' armor."

"Wonderful! Obviously just in time as well," said Nasuada.

"May we see them?" I asked.

"Of course," she said through gritted teeth, as if she only said it because Nasuada was there.

She lead us down another long corridor. She finally lead us to a door that led into a big room. In the middle of the room shone four full sets of armor, two for Christal and I and the other two for our dragons.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Christal in awe.

"They're outstanding, Marie," said Nasuada.

I said nothing because the armor of the dragons resembled Saphira's too closely.

Mine and Christal's armor consisted of a shirt of mail, and, unlike Eragon's armor, the woman's leg armor was a leather skirt that came down to the knees with pants under it. The dragons' armor was plates of metal that covered their heads, necks, bodies, and tails, but not their wings.

"Now, Amber, Christal, I want you and your dragons to have these on by tomorrow morning. It won't take long for the Shade and the army to get here, I fear," said Nasuada.

"We should get a good rest then, right?" I asked.

"Right, I nearly forgot!" Nasuada exclaimed.

I took one last glance at the armor as I followed Christal out the door.

"I'll lead you back to the dinning room, then, I presume you can find your way back?"

"Yes, I believe we can."

We soon arrived back at the oaken doors.

"When you wake up I want you outside through the same doors you came through this afternoon. If one of you happens to wake before the other, I want you to wake the one sleeping because it will not be long before Arilia gets here."

"Nasuada, how do you know the Shade's name?"  
"What? You don't think she hasn't harassed the Varden with her powers, she was attacking us just a couple of weeks ago. Now, get some rest, and see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow!" Christal and I called walking towards our rooms.

I said good-night to Christal and she walked back to her room, I walked into my room and found Ellestygia asleep.

"Ellestygia," I said loud enough for her to hear.

She slowly lifted her head from her crossed claws, _What?_

"Arilia is here," I said casually.

_WHAT! SHE'S WHERE! _she said jumping up.

"Not _here_, but she is very close."

_How long do we have?_

"Tonight, so let's get some rest."

_See you in the morning, young one._

I laid Akarclio beside my bed for safety and quickly fell asleep.

I normal dreams about the battle and sort. The next thing I knew I was slowly waking up. As soon as realized what day it was I jolted upward.

"Ellestygia! Wake up!"

_Whaisit,_ she said slurred letting out a plume of smoke from her mouth.

"'WHAT IS IT!' WHAT DO YOU THINK!"

_I dunno._

At that moment Christal walked in.

"You're up."

"Yes, can you help me wake Ellestygia?"

_Do you think I could help? _ came Arnora's voice.

"Yes, you would be a big help."

She drew in a giant breath and drew her neck back.

"Christal, cover your ears!" I yelled.

We both covered our ears as Arnora let out a blasting roar barring all of her sharp, with teeth. Ellestygia jumped to her feet quickly in fear.

_What-where-who! s_he yelped confused.

"You wouldn't get up so we took drastic measures," I said.

_That's not fair!_

"Arilia being here so soon, isn't fair either so deal with it."

Once I had grabbed Akarclio, Christal, the dragons, and I walked down the corridors to meet Nasuada. We soon saw her flanked tightly by her guards.

"Good-morning, we should go and get your armor now. And one thing I forgot to mention last night was that it is the start of winter, and it will be cold."

"Great more defects," I said.

"Amber, stop complaining," said Christal.

"I know, but it is true."

"It does help that the battle will occur somewhere around noon, so it will be as warm as it gets," said Nasuada.

"One thing that still might make it cold is the fact that we are flying on dragons!"

We walked into the room that held our armor.

"Now get dressed I'll meet you outside when you are done," said Nasuada leaving the room.

Christal and I helped each other get our armor on. Once we were in our armor we helped our dragons with their armor. When we were done with that I realized how much Ellestygia resembled Saphira. She looked so valiant and brave.

_How do I look, young one? _she asked.

"You look fierce and ready to take on all of Alagaësia."

_You look it as well._

"Amber, are you ready?" asked Christal.

I looked at Ellestygia then replied, "Yes."

"Let's go then."

"No, you go I'll be there soon."

"Okay," she said and left.

"Ellestygia, why me?"

_Pardon?_

"Out of all the people in Alagaësia, why did you choose me?"

_I..._

A horn sounded three times fast interrupting Ellestygia. The horn was a warning that the enemy was close. Nasuada and Christal came back through the door to get me.

"It is time," said Nasuada.

My pulse was pounding as Nasuada separated Christal and I. Christal was going to attack from the air and I would help from the ground.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin," I said repeating the elven blessing.

Christal left with Arnora and Ellestygia who was going to wait for me. Nasuada lead me outside and up a battlement, then, all we could do was wait.

We waited for about fifteen minutes before anything happened. Then a messenger ran up to Nasuada.

"They're coming I saw them, they aren't far!" yelled the messenger.

The battle would most likely be like Eragon's first battle, but without the Urgals and with Arilia instead of Durza.

Again twenty or more minutes passed then there came a loud banging in the walls of rock surrounding the Varden.

"Prepare for battle, archers get ready! Everyone else to your stations!" yelled Nasuada.

"Amber, I want you to help the north section the one right in front of where we are standing," she told me.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin, Nasuada," I said.

"You as well, Amber, good luck."

I walked down and into my position. I thought maybe Nasuada would be the last good person I would talk to in my life. I was very, _extremely _nervous as I was all alone, surrounded by unknown people. Then I heard the loud _bang...bang...bang._ I felt like I had been poisoned all over again. My blood felt as if it had turned to ice and my heart was racing so fast that I felt disoriented. There was one last _bang_ and the whole side of the rock wall crumbled. Two flashes of silver came from the hole as soon as it was made, then the whole Empire army poured from the gapping hole. The war had begun.

Our armies clashed with loud clatters of sword on sword. I quickly drew Akarclio and started to fight. I fought hard barely keeping up with any person who challenged me. I either froze them to death or stabbed them either way I was tired and hurting. In a second the sky lit up as a dragon let loose a column of flame. I realized Arnora hadn't done it because she couldn't breathe fire yet. I was scared for Christal. Before I could realize I hadn't been paying any attention to the battle a hilt of a sword hit me in the rib cage with so much force I was flung a few feet. I landed on the ground hard and it hurt to. I got up my side hurting and looked over to who had hit me. It was a regular man, but he looked happy at his attack. I quickly swung around and with one blow struck the man into death.

I continued to fight though I was tiring abnormally fast. Arilia must have had an effect on me, for I shouldn't have been tiring so fast. I didn't know how I was going to fight the army then go and fight her, but either way I wasn't going to let the Varden down. I fought and fought, getting more wounds by the minute. I almost slipped up in one fight, but then I came back strong. The wound on my side was holding me back so much I had almost forgotten to use magic.

After fighting so hard I desperately needed a rest, but kept going on adrenaline. I wanted this war over, however it wasn't going to be over until Arilia was dead. I soon got into another fight and being so tired I slipped ad fell. The person was going to kill me if it hadn't been for Arnora. She pulled the person right into the air and flung him at least a hundred feet while flying.

_Thank you, Arnora,_ I said with my mind.

_You are welcome, but concentrate on the battle._

_I will._

I was ready to give in when I got into _another _fight. In seconds I was on the ground the man standing over me. He drew back his sword, but then he was plucked into the air and thrown. I recovered, but then a claw grabbed me and pulled me up into the air. It was Ellestygia, she had flown back and pulled me into the air. She held her claw close to her saddle, which I had put on earlier. I scrambled into the saddle just as she dodged a spear thrown at her. I knew I would have to talk to her with my mind.

_Ellestygia, how did you know where I was?_

_You are my Rider I would know where you were half-way across Alagaësia._

_You saved my life._

_I know. Now we must fight Arilia._

_Great._

_Be positive, Amber._

_I'm trying._

_Anything else?_

_Yes._

"Ellestygia, FIRE!" I yelled.

She probably knew I was going to say that because she let forth a column offire right on the enemy army.The fire was a sudden blast of heat against the sunny, but cold, winter day.

She flew around helping our army by catching the enemy army on fire. I couldn't see Christal and Arnora anywhere, which worried me a whole lot.

_Ellestygia, do you know where Christal and Arnora are?_

_Yes, unfortunately, they were attacked and Arnora's armor was dented in, so they are back in the dragon hold._

_Alright, go there._

Ellestygia changed course and flew back to the dragon hold. Once she was there I saw the damage done to Arnora. Her shoulder was gashed multiple times by her armor, which Christal had taken off. She taken to licking the wound.

"Stop it, Arnora," said Christal," Oh, hello, Amber."

"What happened?"

"Turns out Thorn is here too, in addition to Cyindr, and we were taking on both of them."

"Why didn't you ask for my help?"

"How would I?"

"With your mind, by now you should have mastered it. Anyway, we need your help if we battle the Riders, can she battle?"

"She can, but her armor isn't going to fit without making her hurt."

I helped Christal heal Arnora, but her armor had no way to be fixed. Christal and I tried to come up with a spell that would fix it but nothing came to our minds.

"Why don't I let you use Ellestygia's armor?"

"That would work, but what about her?"

"I'll make sure she doesn't get hurt," I said taking off the breastplate of Ellestygia's armor off.

Christal and I fixed on Ellestygia's armor to Arnora's remaining armor. Then Christal and I mounted our dragons and flew back into the battle. My dark brown hair was whipping me in the face as Ellestygia went to speeds she had never gone. I hung on tightly to her saddle, so hard in fact my knuckles turned white. I now feared more for Ellestygia's life because of her lack of armor right in a vital spot, where her scales weren't as strong.

We flew on, but relentless was the cold and search for Thorn and Cyindr. There wasn't much ground to cover, but they could have been anywhere. Finally Christal's mind touched mine.

_I found them! They are destroying our army!_ she said.

_Good, go there now, I'm right behind you._

Arnora turned sharply and Ellestygia followed. I soon saw Thorn throwing fire at our army and Zoey throwing magic.

"_Malthinae_!" I heard Christal yell.

Thorn's previous fire turned into fire chains and wrapped aroundCyindr's neck, tail, and four legs. She struggled to free her self, but the chains had no intention of letting go.

While Cyindr was tied up with Arnora, Ellestygia and I went for Thorn and Murtagh. Ellestygia opened her bent wings and held her claws forward, ramming Thorn right in the side. I almost didn't have time to grab the front of the saddle before I was jerked as the dragons fought. Both of the dragons bit and clawed each other, Ellestygia ripped off part of Thorn's armor in complete,yet unknown, anger.

The dragons fought on and on before Ellestygia said anything to me.

_Amber get back!_

_What?_

_Move further back on my back, quick!_

I barely had enough time to get back before Thorn bit Ellestygia's back. Pain shot up my back because of our mental link. She let out a blood-curtailing scream as Thorn let go.

"Ellestygia!" I yelled starting to cry.

Ellestygia started to fight harder beating Thorn to every blow. Thorn soon became a mangled mess. Just as Ellestygia was about to send Thorn to the ground there was a big _bang_ and we all turned. Fire was sprouting up from the ground and toward a clifftop. I then noticed that the fire was turning black at the top, then the flames burst black and a haze-covered creature burst out of the flames.

"She said she wouldn't conjure that _thing_!" Murtagh yelled to Thorn.

I knew "she" was Arilia and "that thing" was a sundablaka.

Both Murtagh and I had our attention directed to Arilia and the sundablaka as they reeked havoc on the Varden's army. I had to do something to distract Murtagh from me. When I made one slight move Thorn and Ellestygia got into fighting again.

"_Gath un rísa du rakr eom Thorn_!" I yelled.

Dark mist shrouded Thorn and Murtagh in complete darkness. Ellestygia took the opportunity to push away from Thorn. She flew back toward the dragon hold.

_I need to rest, I'm sorry, Amber, _she said.

_It's alright, I understand._

She soon got to the dragon hold and I quickly got off of her. I healed the bite wound from Thorn and took her saddle off. There was a bare spot that had no armor under it, so I took to sitting there.

_We have to return to the battle!_ she said.

"No, we won't return until you have rested."

She looked as if I had told her the battle was over, and she crouched down.

_I won't take long._

"Okay."

I went to rest as well, but a surging pain filled my head as I tried to fight the invader. It was no doubt Arilia trying to hurt me. I fought her hard, but as soon as I jerked I fell off Ellestygia and nearly knocked myself unconscious on the stone floor. Ellestygia helped me fight off Arilia's mind and in seconds the pain receded.

"Ugh, what does she want!"

"Your life," said a cold voice.

I turned my heart pounding hard and fast. There standing in the opening of the dragon hold was Arilia.

I tried to run to Ellestygia, but Arilia used a spell first. She held her hand out and all my muscles contracted and I fell to the floor breathing heavily from pain. I quickly got to my feet and rushed at her with Akarclio, but she disappeared and reappeared on the sundablaka as it flew away.

I ran to Ellestygia and swung up on her back, forgetting to put the saddle on.

"After her, Ellestygia!"

Ellestygia jumped into the air and followed Arilia into the battle. She flew, weaving in and out, throwing me everywhere as she dodged spears and swords thrown at her. The sundablaka was out-flying Ellestygia, but she did her best to keep up.

"Ellestygia, what's wrong?"

_It is effecting my ability, the sundablaka._

"Arilia is effecting me too."

Ellestygia flew on barely a match for the sundablaka that was five times her size and half of her weight. When Ellestygia finally caught up with the sundablaka she let fire loose from her jaws, but the fire went around the sundablaka because of Arilia.

_What do I do now!_ Ellestygia yelled at me as they flew away.

_Drive them to open air...over there! _ I said pointing to a space of air outside the battle, but still in the Varden.

_Get ready, _I said.

"Arilia!," I yelled," If it's me you want, then come and get me, or are you too cowardly to face a Rider!"

She looked furious and said something in Shade to the sundablaka, the sundablaka flew right to us.

_GO, NOW!_ I yelled at Ellestygia.

Ellestygia gave one giant flap of her wings and flew even faster than I had ever known she could.

She bent her wings forward as the wind whipped my face and body. I tried to keep a tight grip on her, but I nearly broke my wrist trying. I ended up sliding off her back onto her tail, but she hadn't noticed. I grabbed the end of her tail before I came completely off her. It was even harder to stay on her tail than it was her back, but I pulled myself up on top of her tail. I still didn't have a good grip, for her armor was slick and straight.

_Ellestygia!_

_What?_

_HELP!_

_Huh?_

_I'm on your tail!_

_WHAT!_

After I said it she slowed down to let me on. I used my agile body to move up her body. I finally reached her back and held on to her neck spike. As the sundablaka was after us it kept flying straight up, driving Ellestygia further up every minute. I was afraid of what would happen if we went too far up, but I was soon distracted by Arilia trying to throw magic at Ellestygia. She jerked and moved unexpectedly throwing me from side to side trying to dodge Arilia's attempts.

We were soon, at least, a thousand or more feet in the air, and yet I still didn't feel like I was losing air. When Ellestygia got a few more hundred feet up all of a sudden I could only inhale because exhaling was short and was better than if I didn't. It didn't take long for my head to start spinning, and I soon was rocking back and forth.

_Amber, what's wrong?_

_I can't breathe, we're too high!_

_I'll get down._

Ellestygia started to fly down, but as she did she was blocked by an invisible shield. Arilia had trapped us with her, and the only way out would kill me.

_Ellestygia! _I yelled.

Now my heart was starting to flutter like a frightened bird. I glanced down and saw Arilia smiling evilly, like she was waiting for me to pass out, which eventually I would.

_Ellestygia,_ I said softly.

In seconds I saw red dots in front of my eyes, then another second and I had passed out.

When I regained consciousness I took a giant breath and found it didn't hurt, Ellestygia was also lower, which meant that she had broken the spell holding us.

_Ellestygia fly lower, so she can't trap us again._

_Alright, I'm on it._

Ellestygia turned into a steep dive, but quickly pulled back up as a structured tower came into view. It was getting harder to see for the sun was escaping behind the mountainside.

Ellestygia flew on, until she rammed into another invisible shield. Arilia caught up with us in seconds, and now I knew what was coming.

_I have to fight her now._

_Fine I'll be under you._

_Okay, here goes nothing._

I jumped off Ellestygia's back and onto the sundablaka's back, which I would probably regret doing. Arilia hadn't noticed yet so I tried to sneak up on her. In one quick motion she knocked Akarclio from my grasp and grabbed my arm with a harsh grip.

"You thought I could be sneaked up on, Rider, however you will be the one to lose this battle," she said and out of thin air a jagged sword materialized in her open hand.

"I have never heard a dragon's scream as their Rider was killed, but I guess after today, I will."

With those words she brought the sword down to kill me, but just as the sword was about to collide with me it was ripped from her hand. Both Arilia and I looked back to see Ellestygia. For the hundredth time, she had saved my life. She was now snarling, barring all her sharp teeth at Arilia, and the sword lay in pieces next to Ellestygia.

"I don't think you will ever hear a dragon scream," I said.

I quickly picked up Akarclio and went to thrust it in Arilia, but she turned sharply around and grabbed the tip of Akarclio's blade. With me still hanging onto Akarclio she swung me over the side of the sundablaka, my feet dangling in the air. I was at least two-thousand feet above the ground, only alive by Akarclio's strength and Arilia's little, _tiny_ bit of mercy in her.

"Now what were you saying Rider?"

"I was saying, you will _never_ win," I said through gritted teeth.

"Do you still think that?"

"I most certainly do."

"I don't think so," she said letting go of Akarclio.

With nothing left to keep me up I fell through the air to the ground below. I was falling for just a moment and the ground was already in my sight, for my armor and sword were weighing me down. Then I saw Ellestygia fly under me, catching me while still flying.

_What took you so long, _I said.

_Sorry, but the Shade was trying to kill me._

_You saved my life, _again_, why is it I'm always in trouble._

_I don't know, but I don't want you to die._

_I don't want you to die either, but I couldn't do anything._

_I figured that much myself._

_That was too close, I could have killed her, but I need to get closer._

_I have an idea, but you will have to listen to me, very carefully._

_Ellestygia, when do I ever..._

_More than you think._

_You will have to put all your trust in me as well, _she said starting to circle slowly.

_I already put all my trust in you._

_Okay. You will have to put one arm around my neck and the other on Akarclio. While holding my neck you will have to hang over one side of me, don't worry I'll keep a for claw under you. I'll fly, very fast, toward the sundablaka, head on and you will fight Arilia._

_Ellestygia, I have already fought her, you saw it she kept blocking my every move, and beat me._

_I know, but there wasn't a distraction, was there._

_What do you mean?_

_I mean I will fight the sundablaka, making it jerk and move, so she won't get the best of you._

_Let's go._

Ellestygia stopped circling and flew upward to locate the evil duo.

"_Garjzla letta_!" I said turning us invisible as I started the plan.

I swung over Ellestygia's right side and held on tightly to her neck spike. She put her for claw under me and flew faster. I held tightly to Akarclio, getting ready to fight. She soon got so close to the sundablaka I could she Arilia atop it.

_Get ready, young one._

She got right in the sundablaka's face and I jumped saying the reverse spell, making me visible. I swung at her with Akarclio, but she had another sword in hand and blocked it. We clashed and fought, then the sundablaka lurched under us. Ellestygia was now fighting it.

Arilia and I fought on and on, but neither of us could beat the other. There were muffled roars as the sundablaka and Ellestygia fought. I hadn't made one scratch on Arilia, but she had made many on me. What made that difference was she also had a dagger and was immune to magic, so I had both of those to deal with as for I could be hurt by magic. As we fought she finally made me turn my back to her and she cut my shoulder with the dagger. I cried out in pain, falling to my knees. Before Arilia got any closer there was a hiss from the sundablaka and then a roar. In seconds the roar was followed by a shrill scream. I was afraid of what I would see.

The sundablaka turned its head a little and in its crushing jaws was a flailing Ellestygia. She roared and kicked, but the sundablaka's jaws were relentless. I heard both metal and bone crushing under the force of its teeth. My whole body hurt as the mental link took effect, and Ellestygia screamed for relief. Ellestygia could not get out and I knew it. Just about her whole body was in the sundablaka's grasp, the only parts of her body that were out were her head, tail, legs and wings.

"Even if you win, you will still lose," Arilia said laughing.

Ellestygia was getting crushed, but held on, I could feel her doing it too. She took one big kick, then started to whack the sundablaka in the head with her giant wing. She hit and hit it, but got the same reaction as before, nothing. She was determined to win and started to bite, hit, and kick all at the same time.

Meanwhile, I had my own troubles to deal with. Arilia went to hit me with her sword, but I blocked. She was taking advantage of me being weak, but I was keeping up with her. I was doing it, at least until she hit me with the hilt of the sword and knocked me off the sundablaka. I scrambled with my hands trying to grasp something, anything, but nothing was there to grab.

I looked back to Ellestygia to seek help, but what I saw made me want to let go. She was hanging limply in the sundablaka's jaws now, every sign of life gone. My eyes told me she was dead, but our mental link said different. Arilia walked up to me standing in front of my sword.

In seconds I felt something under my dangling feet.

_Amber, are you alright,_ came Ellestygia's faint voice.

_You're alive!_

_I'm alive, but just barely. I held my breath and let my body go limp so it would think I was dead. It dropped me and I flew away._

_I don't know if you can see this or not, but Arilia is right in front of my sword. When I say 'go' push up with all your strength._

_Alright, on your signal._

"Well, Rider, it still looks as if I am going to win," said Arilia coming closer to my sword's path.

"Oh, really?"

_Ellestygia, GO NOW!_ I yelled with my mind.

Below me, in the darkness of the night Ellestygia pulled back then pushed as hard as she could back up.

I stepped on the sundablaka with one foot, pulled back Akarclio and stabbed Arilia clear through the heart.

"That's for my brother!" I yelled.

"Yes, Eragon is my brother, surprised? So was I!"

With that I pulled Akarclio out of her. Her skin split turning transparent revealing the spirits controlling her, and she disappeared the spirits fleeing.

One thing frightened me, though. I could have sworn that she gave an evil grin as she disappeared, in one second I knew why. The sundablaka without its master kept flying straight up, giving me less time the breathe. As I had feared before, that if I had hit Arilia with my sword before and I had been too close to death to be scared, what would happen when I killed her would be much worse. I was completely right.

I felt like when I had killed her she had turned around and stabbed me as well, but I knew she hadn't because I was watching the whole time and the only blood coming from me was at my shoulder. The pain was taking over my whole body, but was far worse in my chest, where her curse was. Since Arilia had controlled the sundablaka it didn't last too long and burst into nothing below me. Now I was going to fall to my death.

I fell for at least two minutes before Ellestygia caught me in her claw, or at least I thought it was her, for it was dark and I couldn't see. In seconds I was reassured it was her.

_Amber, what's wrong! s_he yelled.

"The Shade's curse...its...its killing me!"

_Don't worry I'll keep you safe, the battle is over and Nasuada's healers will help you._

"Ellestygia, you are weak, and I might only last a minute or two."

_Don't think like that you will... _

Her words were cut off, and I realized why.

We both were up too high again and this time the invisible shield was right under us.

_I will save you, even if I have to fly over the Beor Mountains._

I held my breath so I wouldn't use the last air I had to breathe with. Ellestygia flew on despite her injuries, I could see them now. Her armor was mangled and torn and her scales were bloody. She had multiple holes in her armor and scales because of the sundablaka's teeth.

"You're hurt, Ellestygia."

_I know, but you are more important than I am._

As Ellestygia flew Arilia's words went through my head.

"_Even if you win, you will still lose."_

Now I knew what she meant. I could win in killing her, but I would still lose because her curse would kill me before I could be praised. Now the only thing I cared about was saving Ellestygia. I could feel her losing altitude as she struggled to breathe. I could only imagine her strength. She was valiantly using every last ounce of strength she had left to save me.

Once my mind was back on Arilia's curse there was no stopping the pain. The pain and my restricted breathing made it impossible to think straight. The curse erupted in my whole body making my body shake violently, threatening to throw me out of Ellestygia's grasp.

_Hold on, Amber, I will get you to Nasuada's healers!_

"I...can't take it...much longer," I said my words pained and slow.

_You don't have to much longer, it won't be long I promise!_

"I'm sorry, Ellestygia...I..." I could say no more.

_Amber, AMBER! Please, Amber, don't!_ she yelled, and if I could see her she was probably crying.

The truth was I could hear her, feel things, and see, but I could no longer talk with my mind or my mouth. I had also lost all ability to move as well, giving Ellestygia the thought I was dead, but she was too confused to realizeshe would die the second I did. She kept flying despite me, probably on the thought she could still save me, but I had a very small chance of living.

This was not how I pictured dying, nor did I hope for it. I wished to die quickly and without pain, not slow and _extremely _painful. Ellestygia had lost a lot of altitude and most of her strength. I was slowly fading, if Ellestygia felt it I knew not, but I did know she was trying harder.

In one second Ellestygia collided with the ground head first, and immediately the force of gravity ripped me from Ellestygia's claw. Ellestygia tumbled head over tail, while I hit the ground rolling over and over in surprisingly soft grass. As I was slowing down I struck my head against a rock and blacked out, which was the worse thing I could have done.


	16. Chapters 26, 27 and author's notes

Chapter XXVI

My Struggle for Life

Swirling darkness surrounded me, the pain was escalating by every second. I was soon on my knees, solid ground below me, by now the pain was exceeding everything I knew. I was at a breaking point, the curse was killing me slower than any other way of killing, yet that was probably what Arilia wanted. My elven strength could only keep me alive for so long, after that I would be dead.

I fought the inevitable for as long as my body would allow. Soon I would be pushing my limit, and I could do nothing, there was no going back, my body's natural instincts were killing me faster. I struggled on and on, until I was on my back barely breathing. I wanted help, I wanted someone to save me, to take the pain and let me die. Then, the pain was somewhat gone. It was still hurting me bad, making it hard to breathe, but it was mostly gone.

I slowly got up, getting on my feet. I went to fall, but was caught.

_What happened now,_ came a familiar annoyed voice.

_Brom?_

_Yes, Amber, what did you do now?_

_Don't say it like that, I did kill the Shade._

_You killed the Shade!_

_Yes, however, her curse was like committing suicide. It was a recoil effect._

_How long ago did you do it?_

_Around thirty minutes ago._

_That's how long you have been fighting?_

_I guess so._

_You are my daughter, you're a fighter._

I smiled.

_I only did it because my dragon risked her life to help and save me. Now, I have let her down._

_Amber, dying is not your fault, it can't be helped. You fought until you could fight no more, and you still are._

_If I'm not gone, then she is, and if I am gone we both are._

_Amber, you are still alive._

_How do you know that?_

_Because you are seeing me. If you see your mother...well..._

There was silence.

_All I know is Ellestygia was trying to get me to the Varden's healers, then she flew too high. We couldn't breathe and she was hurt, bad, and her strength was failing, then she crashed._

_Do you know why I left you in Ellesméra? _came his sudden question.

_No._

_I left you there because you had strength like the elves, you are loyal and brave._

If I could have I would have been blushing.

_Now I know where I got kindness from._

_You got that from your mother, I admit._

We talked on and I told him about the battle, or things I remembered. When I stopped there was a sudden pressure against my chest. Not in a harsh way, but still hard.

_Ow. What was that!_ I said alarmed.

_They're trying to revive you._

_But I thought you said I wasn't dead?_

_I did, but they don't know that._

_Why, don't they have some way, my breathing, my pulse?_

_Maybe those are too weak in you now to make that defiance between life and death._

_That could be true._

We started to talk on until he gave me the hardest question of all.

_Do you love me as a father, even if I kept secrets from you?_

_Love you? Of coarse I love you! But I have a question to ask you in return. Do you blame me for your death?_

_I could never blame you for that, it was the Shade and the fact I couldn't get Zar'roc out to block the spear, not you._

_You weren't all to blame for your own death, Eragon should have listened to you. He can be like that, but I'm not saying I blame him._

I then confessed about the hours leading up to his death. I felt better afterwords, but then I felt like I had been shocked.

_Ow! _I yelped,_ What now!_

_They are still trying to revive you._

_UGH, REALLY! In the name of Alagaësia!_

_You don't want to go back._

_Yes and no, not yet anyway, I can only see you this way, and I like it too much, but I know that is very selfish of me._

_I'm glad that you like my company, but your brother and friends want to have you back._

Brom had told me that I would have to wait anyway, until they got me back or until my body returned to normal. We talked on about things, occasionally interrupted by my frail friends. The only thing going through my mind was Ellestygia. She was my responsibility and I let her go into harm's way. Now I felt guilt setting in, I could no longer smile at Brom, for she was the _only_ thing I was thinking about. I knew soon, too soon, I would have to leave my father, but come back to my anxious friends.

I was soon pulled from Brom, unwillingly, but this time I saw the same swirling blackness. It was behind me, and despite Brom's words, I knew I was dead.

As I was in the swirling darkness visions flashed before my closed eyes. They were visions of events throughout my short life. They were from my point of view so that I felt like I was reliving them.

I saw myself in a sapphire wave, Ra'zac falling below me. Then I saw Ellestygia burst from her egg, her big dark-blue eyes fixed on my eyes. I was now receiving Akarclio. Then I was sitting upon a grown Ellestygia's back, taking my first flight. Then I was in the Hadarac Desert saving Christal and Friciey. I was teaching Christal about magic. Then Ellestygia took her first breath of fire. Now I was reliving one of my worst memories, I was before a dying Friciey all my strength failing. I knew now that Brom was my father. I had my first encounter with certain death. Christal was in my arms bawling at her dragon's death. I was then taking my first gaze at Saphira her bright, silver scales uplifting. I was wandering in Urû'baen with Arya. I was holding the most important of all dragons' egg, Arnora.

A new set of visions came on. I was in Urû'baen surrounded by Thorn and Cyindr, getting ready to die. Ellestygia had saved me and I was back with Christal and Tobascco. I was now looking at the trees of Ellesméra from Ellestygia's back, returning to it. I was now learning Akarclio's name and then struck by lightning. I saw Arilia telling me of the curse that was killing me right now. Arnora had come forth from her egg and Christal receiving her second gedwëy ignasia. Eragon and Saphira were now leaving to their destruction. Christal and I were now discussing Christal's new sword and training. It was the next day and Christal and I were laughing at me boxing Christal in Akarclio's ice. Fire was all around and Arilia had made Christal enraged with her past. I was again close to death from my connection to Arilia.

I was yelling at Ellestygia about saving Eragon and Saphira. We had started our journey to the Varden. I was tied to that column looking at Ellestygia in chains. Arilia was face-to-face with me, poisoning me. I was being saved by Saphira and Brom. I was facing the effects of the poison and cured by Brom. Ellestygia and I were on our way back to the Varden. I was being healed and hurt at the same time, by people trying to help. I was seeing Arnora beat Thorn at the waterfall. Arya was telling me about Dauth Manin.

Marie was making our armor, Christal elbowing me to shut it. Nasuada was telling us of the war to come. A frightened Marie telling us the Shade had been spotted. Me fighting soldiers of the Empire. Arnora saving my life. Ellestygia taking the soldier up and grabbing me to fight alongside Arnora. Ellestygia and I fighting Thorn. Cyindr in fiery chains. The sundablaka being created. Arilia trying to bring down the sword on me. Ellestygia's face as she ripped the sword from Arilia. Ellestygia hanging limply in the sundablaka's teeth. Arilia as I killed her. Ellestygia desperately trying to save me.

All the visions then faded and there was just silence. I was alone.

Chapter XXVII

Resolution

Is she alive?" came a girl's voice.

This confused me, I thought I was dead.

"I don't know," came a guy's voice.

"Oh I hope she is alive, it's my fault," said the girl,"wait, Arnora, can't you heal people."

Now I knew the girl was Christal, but who was the other.

"You don't know how to use them, okay, Eragon, what should we do?"

"I don't know _that_ much, Christal."

_Eragon, he's alive, he's there, I need to wake up!_ I thought.

I had to think of something. Then I remembered what I did when I first arrived at the Varden.

_Vankna,_ I thought.

My eyes slowly opened. I was now gaining enough feeling to know I was on my back. My vision was returning and soon I saw Eragon sitting by me.

"Eragon!" I cried pulling him into my embrace.

He hugged me back, "Amber, never do that to me again."

Christal ran over, "Amber!" she cried, "You're alive."

"A second ago I thought different, but I'm here," I said.

"Amber, you killed a Shade, I can't believe it! My best friend killed a Shade. Amber, not many people kill Shades," said Christal.

"I know. Eragon, I thought you and Saphira were severely injured."

"We were, but the Varden have good healers."

"Christal, I saw you fighting off Thorn and Cyindr, you were amazing," I said.

She blushed bright pink, "Arnora did most of it."

_Oh don't be like that, _you_ did most of it._

"I guess I underestimated you, Christal, when I said you weren't ready for battle."

"It's alright, I mean you never saw me fight that much so how could you know?"

"Know what?"

"Know that my parents were great fighters of the Varden."

"How do you know that?"

"Eragon told me."

"Amber, you were the most amazing, do you know where they found you and Ellestygia?"

"No, where, or do I not want to know."

"You do, they found you by the Beartooth River."

"_What_!"

"Ellestygia held on long enough to fly _over_ the lowest point of the mountain's wall and fly to the Beartooth River."

"But I thought it was impossible to fly over the mountain, even the lowest point?"

"It is, but, Amber, you have done a lot of things people believed to be impossible," said Eragon, "even me."

"Where is Ellestygia?" I asked suddenly.

They were both silent.

"Where is she!"

"Follow me, Amber," Eragon said.

He got up and walked over to Saphira who had walked up while we were talking. They talked, but I couldn't hear them. Saphira walked off and Eragon came back, "Come on," he said.

Christal and I followed him out the door and through corridors. He turned sharply, putting his back to a closed door.

"Amber, this may shock you," he said.

"Go ahead."

He opened the door and the first thing I saw was Saphira.

_Little one, sometimes winning means losing..._

I looked at the floor thinking the worst, then I hear a rustling of wings. Saphira moved and I saw Ellestygia standing her wings relaxed back.

_But sometimes winning is only what happens_, Saphira finished.

"Ellestygia!" I said running to her side.

_You fought hard for the thing most important to you, young one, and you were rewarded,_ she said.

"What happened to you?" I asked seeing the black scar down her neck.

_That? When I was fighting and the sundablaka had me in its grasp I had been gashed by one of its poisonous fangs. The healers hadn't healed anything like it, but they are good at what they do._

"I'm grateful to them for saving what is most important to me."

_Amber, now I know I know I made a right choice._

"You never answered my question. Why me?"

_We chose our Riders for their courage and fear._

"Why fear as well as courage?"

_Since courage can not be with out fear, and thus our Riders are picked._

_I believe you forgot one thing, Ellestygia,_ said Saphira.

_What might that be?_

_We also chose our Riders for how much they love and are loved by others._

"You didn't tell me that, Saphira," said Eragon, "so you chose me for my bravery courage and love for Roran and Garrow?"

Saphira growled at him.

"What?" Eragon said.

_You loved someone even more._

"Brom," Eragon and I said together.

We both were silent because Eragon had been expecting to avoid that and I really didn't expect it at all. I quickly pulled away from the subject.

"So what happened to me after we hit the ground?" I asked.

"With you killing the Shade and Christal driving off Thorn and Cyindr the army was vulnerable so they fled, but Nasuada knew something was wrong. When Christal came back she said she had only seen you as you left helping her to kill the Shade, Nasuada and I started to search for you. We had searched for hours before Saphira told me to let her help. She had gone outside of the Varden, and we thought she would never find you out there because it was impossible for Ellestygia to have gone _over_ the mountain's wall. Within a few minutes Saphira came back telling us the unbelievable and lead us to you. When we found you and Ellestygia, you were breathing hard and not moving, and Ellestygia was trying to get to you though she was injured more."

_I think not, Eragon, Amber could have died! _Ellestygia interjected.

"What?"

I then realized I had not told Eragon of my curse, and neither had Christal. I took the opportunity to explain.

"Eragon, I don't think I told you, but the Shade cursed me. She made it so that if I ever get knocked out or fall asleep my heart slows so much it would kill me."

_Little one,_ Saphira said softly.

"It's alright I have lived this far, haven't I?"

"Just barely, Amber," said Christal walking in.

"But how?" said Eragon dumb-founded.

"She cursed me, and just like the scar Durza gave you, it's not gone even though I killed her."

"What about Agaetí Blödhren?"

"Eragon, look! I am already blessed by Agaetí Blödhren, nothing can help me, it is permanent! Besides I enjoy it, sometimes."

"Are you _insane_, Amber, you could die!" exclaimed Eragon.

"I do see someone I usually don't see, someone special."

_Amber, tell him, I know, but why didn't you tell us?_

"Because your Rider was too eager to get to the Varden, and I didn't learn of it until you were gone."

_I am sorry, little one, tell Eragon._

"Eragon, I will tell you who I see, but it is bad and good because it means I might die."

"Tell me."

"Brom, I always see Brom, but it is also bad because I don't know if I will be pulled back."

Eragon smiled, "I would like to see him too, but if it meant my life and Saphira's, I would rather not."

"I have no choice, but it seems as someone always saves me."

"I just remembered, Nasuada wants to see you," he said suddenly.

"Okay. Ellestygia, are you allowed to leave?"

_I think so._

Eragon led me, Christal, and the dragons back through another corridor. When Eragon came to the doors, I recognized them. They were the doors that I had gone through many times before.

"Are you ready for praise beyond imagination?" he said.

"What?"

"They- the Varden- are going to praise you, I mean, it's not every day someone kills a Shade, not even a Dragon Rider."

"Right, I knew that, and, Eragon, are they going to call me...you know?"

He laughed, "No, I think that is for Arya and I only."

"Good, that's your name, the elves will come up with something to call me, I'm sure."

Eragon pushed open the doors and blinding sunlight filled my sight. When my eyes adjusted to the bright light, what I saw astounded me. There stood at least half the Varden -if not all of them- on either side of a pathway they had cleared. When Eragon had walked halfway down the path he beckoned for me to follow. Christal and I, with the dragons in tow, took one step out of the door and the Varden bowed at the same time. I stopped, frozen in nervousness, until Christal nudged me.

"Go on, Amber," she whispered.

I started to walk again.

We walked down the pathway and at the end stood Nasuada. The guards beside her bowed to me as I stopped. "Okay, Nasuada, why are they treating me like you?"

She laughed,"Everyone is very grateful to you, Amber, every single person here. The Shade reeked havoc on the Varden for two years before you learned the destiny that was laid before you, now she is forever gone, and for that we are thankful."

"I...I don't know what to say, I just didn't want the Varden to fall under Galbatorix's wrath. I only wish for Galbatorix to remember why his dragon died and then maybe he will realize..."

"Galbatorix will never realize his wr..."

"Nasuada, I have seen Galbatorix eye-to-eye. He is completely horrifying," I looked Nasuada in her eyes, "and I completely understand, but, Nasuada, there was hurt in those eyes, deep hurt."

"You saw Galbatorix?"

"Well, kind of. When I was taking Arnora's egg he was in the distance, but I had Ellestygia's sight so I could see right into his eyes. However, I hope that is as close to him as I get until the battle that will come soon, the one when he will show up. The one we will try our very hardest to win, and to defeat him forever."

Nasuada looked at me with final understanding, she also looked aghast.

I looked around for Arya, but couldn't see her anywhere among the crowd.

"What happened to Arya, where is she?" I asked.

I heard laughing,"Right here," said Arya putting her hands on my shoulders.

"Amber, you risked your life for us, for the Varden and for Ellesméra, you were very brave. I truly believe you are Brom's daughter, he was just as brave, to the end."

I smiled, for once I realized I was just like my father, brave, wise, and rash. I would have done the same thing Brom did, sacrifice my own life for the hope for a free future. A future free of Galbatorix, free of harsh, ruling armies, and a future where destiny isn't a crime, where it can take its course.

"Thank you, Arya."

"On the contrary, Amber, I should be thanking you."

"Please, don't, not about the battle. I don't deserve all the credit, Christal, Arnora, and Ellestygia helped me, I could have never done it."

"Well, thank you, Amber, Christal, Arnora, and Ellestygia," she said," for defeating the Empire's forces to free us all."

"That, I am afraid is not the end," said Nasuada,"this is just the start. We have to still deal with Thorn, Murtagh , Cyindr, Zoey, and Galbatorix before it is truly over."

Arya looked at Nasuada,"This we know, however, for now the Empire is suffering under yet another defeat."

"We-Amber, Ellestygia, Arnora, Christal, and myself- will soon return to Ellesméra to inform Queen Islanzadí of the war," she continued.

"Excuse me, Arya, but when is 'soon'?" I asked.

"In a couple of hours after all of this is over."

Nasuada nodded then turned to the Varden,"As you know we have recently won another battle against the Empire."

The Varden roared with cheering.

"But only with the help of our Dragon Riders Amber and Christal and their dragons Ellestygia and Arnora. I will stress that you please don't ask them any favors, for they have already done enough. However, with their permission you may talk to them before they leave. Lastly, I want to inform you that this is not the end, but the beginning of a long war against the Empire that will last possibly for years. So, the Riders will not be gone for good."

"Yes and please feel free to ask me questions, for I don't mind," I said.

I waited then Eragon came up behind me as the first question came, "Should we fear a quick come back attack?"

Eragon answered for me, "Yes, as Nasuada said, there will be another attack, but we do not know how long it will be."

"When will you return, Riders?" came the second question.

"Whenever the Varden needs us," said Christal.

The last question no one knew, but me, "Are there more eggs at Urû'baen?"

"No, we are not sure of tha..."started Arya.

"Yes, there are, I was retrieving Arnora's egg I saw two eggs. One purple, one ice-blue," I said.

The Varden looked at me in awe, their eyes wide in non-belief. Even Nasuada looked at me in the same manor. Christal, Arya, and Eragon did too, but I turned to Arya, "_I don't know if you remember, but you were there, Shruikan was asleep and once I took Arnora's egg he woke," _I whispered.

"_Amber, I was hurt, but I do remember some of that._"

"That means there may be new Dragon Riders to come and hopefully on our side."

"Thank you, we wish you a safe trip back to Ellesméra," said Nasuada.

"And we wish _you _safety until we meet again," said Eragon.

We mounted the crouching dragons, Arya ridding behind me.

_Tell Nasuada I am thankful for her generosity and admire her courage,_ Ellestygia said.

_Me too,_ said Arnora.

So I conveyed the messages from the dragons to Nasuada. Then, the dragons walked back through the crowds who backed away as the dragons passed. Once the we were back in the tunnels Christal, Eragon, Arya, and I dismounted and walked next to the dragons.

As we were walking Ellestygia's tail wrapped around my ankles and I fell.

"Ouch, _thanks_," I said getting back up.

_Sorry._

"Uh, that's fine, I'm okay."

When I got back up I saw Christal smiling,"It's always you, isn't it?" she said.

"Very funny."

We kept walking and I noticed Ellestygia was swing her tail side-to-side blissfully, she was happy, and that made me smile.

We walked miles in the corridor, before something happened that, though I didn't know, would change the future. I saw a girl who looked about twelve standing in the corridor. As we got closer I recognized the girl's long, silky, black hair and deep-green eyes, it was the messenger Krissi.

"Amber!" she exclaimed," you're alive! They said you might die, but you didn't, I knew you wouldn't, not you!"

I smiled, "Thank you."

"Amber, I heard all about the battle, I wish I could fight, but as they did when I was only a few years old, all the women and children were ordered out to Surda."

"Nasuada is right, battle is no place for young children, but I used to dream of the same things. Sometimes dreams can come true."

"Amber," said Arya.

_Wait_,said Ellestygia.

We stopped and Ellestygia lowered her head down to Krissi's level. She nuzzled her gently, then pulled her neck back up in an instant. I felt her shock.

_What's wrong? _I asked.

_Nothing is wrong, but something is right._

_What is it?_

_She has the destiny to be a Rider._

A _Rider? _

_Yes._

I was completely bewildered, this little girl could be the next Rider to the eggs in Urû'baen, and I knew her. In fact she was like a little sister to me. She had come to me before the women and children were ordered out just to wish me luck, Arya said Krissi had cried when she told her that I might die, and now she was overjoyed to see I was alive. If there were more people in Alagaësia like this little girl evil would be over-powered.

When I came back from my thoughts I heard Krissi talking.

"Amber, will you take me to Teirm?" she asked.

Christal looked at me with wide, questioning eyes.

"And why do you want to go there?" asked Christal.

"I want to return to the place I once called home, before Galbatorix started targeting Teirm out of the blue."

Christal looked down at the floor and played with her dress.

"Okay, I will take you, but does Nasuada know?"

"Yes, I told her what I was going to do and that if I didn't come back that it means you had agreed."

"Okay, get on."

I used my magic to put Ellestygia's saddle back on, then I helped her on and strapped her legs into the saddle. I swung up behind her as Christal and Arya got on to Arnora.

We soon approached the waterfall entrance. I took a calming breath as I realized that I was leaving the safety of the Varden for the danger of the Empire. I told Krissi to hold on tight as Ellestygia got ready to bound into flight. With a powerful push from her back legs Ellestygia flew through the waterfall and out of the Varden flanked by Arnora. Once we were clear of the waterfall Arnora flew beside us as we rose higher into the air.

Krissi was laughing and yelling with excitement as Ellestygia flew faster. I smiled at her excitement,_ Too bad she doesn't know this might be an every day thing later,_ I told Ellestygia.

_She will learn soon enough._

_How did you know her destiny is to be a Rider?_

_Saphira told me how to tell if people are or not. She said that she told Eragon you would be a Rider, but he didn't want to believe it._

_Why didn't she tell me?_

_It would be wrong and the person might try to change destiny, which would be bad. Hold on!_

I told Krissi just in time to hold on before Ellestygia took a sharp, left turn. I soon saw Teirm.

_Ellestygia you and Arnora stay here, now land!_

Ellestygia and Arnora went into completely vertical dive, then landed in the sand with a last flap of their giant wings.

"Ellestygia, you, Arnora, and Arya stay here, Christal and I will go."

I grabbed my cloak from Ellestygia's saddle, I was sure I was wanted, just like Eragon. After escaping Arilia, she would have told Galbatorix and he would have raised a search for me. Christal grabbed her cloak as well, and we walked with Krissi's hands in either of ours to Teirm.

It took an hour to reach the city because Christal couldn't keep up with my speed if I ran, otherwise I would have ran carrying Krissi. We had to walk, but it was okay.

Once we were in the city I told Krissi we couldn't go far. She understood, then I realized something.

"Krissi, where will you stay?"

"Oh, my grandmother lives here. She has sent messages to the Varden by bird, so I sent her a message back telling her I was coming."

"Okay."

At once a young boy came up to us.

"Krissi Bursangsdaughter! You grandmother told me you were coming, now I have someone to play with!" he said excitedly.

I smiled at the two, Krissi seemed to be happy as well. I told Krissi she could go if she wanted.

"Will you come back?" she asked.

"Not here, but most likely...to the warders."

"The..oh,okay," she said understanding I meant the Varden.

After Krissi had left Christal and I were walking back when a boy Christal's age came up to us.

"Christal? Christal Arinngsdaughter, I know that is who you are," he said.

"What do you want, Qurrie?" Christal said hiding her face by looking at the ground.

"Ah, I knew it was you. Why are you here?"

"Visiting," she lied.

"Who? Last time I checked both of you parents were killed."

"Be quiet!" she yelled. "I was visiting a relative!"

"Oh, sorry, I..."

"Go away! Or I'll..."

"Christal," I intruded."The _horses_ are waiting, they don't like it here, so let's go."

We turned and walked away from the boy, leaving him standing there. We got back to the dragons faster than we did going to the city.

"Let's get out of here," said Christal urging us to go.

We mounted the dragons, Arya ridding behind me. The dragons turned their backs to the city and bounded once into the air. They gained full speed, straightened their paths, and flew for Ellesméra.

As the last league of the Hadarac Desert came into view I was certain of one thing;I would have more challenges and fears to face, but I also knew I had people who will always be there for me. People who are like family to me, and Ellestygia, who is like my life. That was the best thing I knew.

The End

Atra du evarínya ono varda

All the copyrights of _Eragon, Eldest, _and _Brisingr _go to Christopher Paolini and _Knof_ publishing.

I wrote this book to be based off of Christopher Paolini's _Inheritance _Trilogy, which got me into liking fantasy and books. Truly, _Eragon, Eldest, _and _Brisingr_ are -and always will be- one of my favorite, if not my most favorite, series I have read. Thanks to Christopher Paolini and his genius books I have taken my skills in language arts to a whole new level: this book.

Thanks for reading!

T.

Author's note,

This may be my first book, but ,trust me, Amber's adventures don't stop there. Book Two, _Return of the Riders: Resurrection _continues Amber's wild adventures in Alagaësia, but they get even more -if it is possible- nerve racking, so if you enjoyed this book, keep reading!


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